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THE  LIBRARIES 


X. 


THE  LIFE  OF 
THE  REVEREND  BENJAMIN  BAUSMAN 


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The  Life 


The  Reverend  Benjamin  Bausman 

D.D.,  LL.D. 


Henry  Haverstick  Ranck 

Pastor  of  St.  Andrew's  Reformed  Church 
Reading,  Pa. 


WITH  PORTRAITS 


Philadelphia  : 

The  Publication  and  Sunday  School  Board  of  the 

Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States 

1912 


'In  his  duty,  prompt  at  every  call, 
He  watched  and  wept,  he  prayed  and  felt  for  all; 
And  as  a  bird  each  fond  endearment  tries 
To  tempt  its  new  fledged  offspring  to  the  skies, 
He  tried  each  art,  reproved  each  dull  delay. 
Allured  to  brighter  worlds  and   led   the   way." 


^-'i/y/(l 


PBE88   or 
StEINMAN  &   FOLTZ 

Lancaster,  Pa. 


TO 

Mrs.  Benjamin  Batjsman 

who  as  helpmeet  enriched  and 

completed  a  great  life 


PREFACE 


IN  preparing  this  biography,  I  have  endeavored,  wherever 
possible,  to  have  Dr.  Bausman's  own  words  express  what  was 
to  be  said.  This  assuredly  will  be  the  feature  of  chief  interest. 
There  is  but  little  quotation  from  his  books.  In  the  multitude 
of  extracts  from  diaries,  letters,  addresses  and  articles,  the  punc- 
tuation, abbreviations,  etc.,  have  been  in  the  main  retained,  in 
the  belief  that  therein  would  be  found  additional  autobio- 
graphical and  even  antiquarian  interest. 

One  of  the  great  satisfactions  attending  my  work  on  this  book 
has  been  the  ready  assistance  tendered  by  many,  due  reference 
to  which  is  made  as  a  rule  in  the  context.  To  all  who  have  in 
any  way  helped,  I  wish  to  express  my  gratitude. 

I  have  been  exceedingly  fortunate  in  gathering  mater'al. 
Dr.  Bausman  had  the  wise  habit  of  retaining  his  documents  and 
the  important  letters  sent  him.  I  succeeded  in  getting  very  many 
letters  which  he  wrote  to  friends  and  fellow-workers.  Those  to 
Dr.  Herman  Rust,  the  largest  and  most  important  batch,  I  se- 
cured through  the  kindness  of  Dr.  John  B.  Rust,  his  son,  to 
whom  I  am  under  special  obligation.  My  chief  regret,  which 
many  others  will  likewise  feel,  is  that  Dr.  Bausman's  letters  to 
Dr.  Harbaugh,  evidently  quite  numerous,  were  destroyed. 

All  the  letters  we  have,  which  were  written  to  Dr.  Bausman, 
and  nearly  all  those  from  him,  by  the  permission  of  the  persons 
who  hold  them,  are  to  go  into  the  archives  of  the  Seminary  at 
Lancaster. 

Since  the  death  of  Dr.  Bausman,  I  have  conversed  with  many 
of  his  relatives  and  friends  from  whom  I  have  obtained  valuable 
information  and  atmosphere.  How  important  it  was  that  con- 
sulting these  persons  who  had  first-hand  knowledge  should  not 
be  delayed  is  seen  from  the  fact  that  at  least  five  who  gave  me 

7 


8  PREFACE 

great  help  have  since  died — Drs.  J.  H.  Dubbs,  E,  R.  Eschbach 
and  Henry  Mosser,  Elder  Isaac  McHose  and  Mrs.  Henry  Baus- 
man. 

Deserving  of  special  mention  are  Mr.  M.  A.  Foltz,  who  as- 
sembled for  me  much  material  of  the  Chambersburg  period,  and 
Mr.  Daniel  Miller,  who  helped  in  many  ways.  All  the  work 
was  done  in  consultation  with  Mrs.  Bausman,  whose  encourage- 
ment and  assistance  have  been  invaluable. 

I  am  indebted  to  Miss  Alice  Hill  Byrne,  of  the  Baldwin  School, 
Bryn  Mawr,  for  her  literary  judgment  on  nearly  all  the  pages, 
and  to  Dr.  Charles  E.  Creitz,  the  successor  of  Dr.  Bausman  in 
the  pastorate  of  St.  Paul's  Church,  for  counsel  on  many  points. 
He  also,  with  the  Rev.  Clayton  H.  Ranck,  of  Baltimore,  and 
Mrs.  Henry  H.  Ranck,  assisted  in  reading  the  proof. 

The  task  of  writing  this  volume  has  occupied  the  spare  time 
of  a  busy  pastorate  for  more  than  three  years,  and  has  been  rich 
in  mental  and  spiritual  remuneration.  I  have  done  my  best 
in  my  effort  to  present  Dr.  Bausman  faithfully.  My  hope  is 
that  some  measure  of  the  refreshing  and  blessing  which  have 
come  to  me  in  preparing  this  biography  may  be  his  who  reads 
it. 

I  may  add  that  a  special  pleasure  has  attached  to  these,  my 
labors,  from  the  fact  that  my  mother's  mother  was  Dr.  Baus- 
man's  sister. 

Henry  H.  Ranck. 

September  19,  1912. 


CONTENTS. 


Chapteb  Paob 

Preface 7 

I.     Ancestry:   Early  Years— 1824-1846   13 

II.     Marshall  College — 1846-1851    50 

III.  The  Seminary  Year— 1851-1852    72 

IV.  Lewisburg— 1853-1856 92 

V.     Europe  and  the  Holy  Land— 1856-1857  109 

VI.     Lewisburg— 1857-1859 126 

VII.     Editor  op  the  Messenger — 1859-1866 143 

VIII.     Chambersburg— 185&-1863 161 

IX.     Civil  War  Experiences 179 

X.     Reading,  First  Church— 1863-1872   192 

XL    St.  Paul's  Church— 1873-1900 210 

XII.     Europe  and  California— 1884,  1886 235 

XIII.  Editor  of  the  Guardian— 1867-1881 253 

XIV.  Editor  of  the  Hausfreund— 1867-1903   263 

XV.     Bethany  Orphans'  Home— 1865-1909  286 

XVI.     Church  Boards 315 

XVII.     Characteristics 333 

XVIIL     Preacher  and  Pastor 351 

XIX.    Theology  and  the  Church  Question  371 

XX.     The  Associate  Pastorate— 1900-1909   392 

Index 433 


INTRODUCTIONS 
TO  THE  SECOND  ISSUE 


I 

WHEN  the  Life  of  Dr.  Bausman  was  first  published,  it  was 
well  received.  Soon  thereafter  came  the  Great  World  War, 
and  then  the  distracting  aftermath  which  did  not  aid  the  circula- 
tion of  the  book.  Nearly  all  the  many  appreciations  expressed 
from  time  to  time,  urged  that  the  younger  pastors  and  students 
for  the  ministry  especially  should  read  this  Life,  and  ten  years  ago 
Dr.  Rufus  W.  Miller  had  a  movement  under  way  to  get  it  into 
their  hands.    His  death  however  ended  the  efifort. 

Now  that  we  are  the  merged  denomination  of  two  great  kindred 
historic  churches,  it  is  felt,  as  leaders  in  both  groups  have  said, 
that  to  gain  and  promote  sympathetic  understanding,  mutual  ap- 
preciation and  still  more  effective  unity,  ministers  and  lay  folk  of 
each  should  read  the  lives  of  the  significant  and  representative 
leaders  of  the  other.  Believing  that  the  circulation  of  this  Life 
will  aid  toward  these  ends  we  are  publishing  this  second  issue  and 
offering  it  at  half  the  original  price. 

Dr.  Bausman  was  favored  in  being  comfortable  financially;  he 
lived  simply  and  gave  generously  to  many  causes  from  time  to 
time  and  left  substantial  bequests,  especially  to  the  great  church 
interests  as  will  be  noted  by  those  who  follow  his  life  story.  He 
had  arranged  that  his  devoted  widow  too  should  be  in  comfortable 
circumstances  and  the  Trust  Company  which  supervised  his  in- 
vestments continued  to  look  after  her  affairs.  She,  manifestly 
carrying  out  his  spirit  and  wishes,  gave  liberally  from  time  to  time 
while  she  lived  to  the  great  causes  which  he  loved  and  at  her 
death,  June  4,  1921,  left  an  estate  of  over  $60,000,  as  adjudicated 
in  the  Courts  of  Berks  County,  Pa.  Mrs.  Bausman's  near  rela- 
tives and  friends  were  remembered  with  small  gifts.  A  dozen 
benevolent  institutions  in  Reading  were  given  bequests  averaging 
about  $1000  each;  the  society  for  the  Relief  of  Ministers,  Bethany 
Orphans  Home  Endowment  and  Phoebe  Deaconess  Home  were 
handsomely  favored.  To  the  causes  of  Home  and  Foreign  Missions 
however,  the  residuary  legatees,  she  gave  the  largest  bequests,  the 
former  receiving  $22,004.82.  This  ultimate  phase  of  his  hfe  pur- 
pose, the  final  disposition  of  his  estate,  needs  to  be  known  as  a 
further  expression  of  his  utter  devotion  to  the  great  kingdom  cause. 

When  the  Seminary  Chapel  at  Lancaster  was  reconstructed  and 
beautified  in  1925,  the  Church's  appreciation  of  Dr.  Bausman  as 


INTRODUCTIONS       TO       THE       SECOND       ISSUE 

preacher  and  pastor  was  fittingly  symbolized  by  erecting  the 
Pulpit  in  his  memory  and  honor — the  gift  of  St.  Paul's  Reformed 
Church,  Reading. 

In  my  preface  to  the  first  issue  of  this  biography,  it  is  stated 
that  the  letters  written  by  and  received  by  Dr.  Bausman  were  to 
be  placed  in  the  archives  of  the  seminary  library  at  Lancaster. 
This  was  done  early  in  1915.  There  are  403  letters  in  the  collec- 
tion in  two  beautifully  bound  volumes — 170  written  by  him,  233 
received  by  him.  The  late  William  Berwick,  then  the  expert  in 
the  Manuscript  Department  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  Wash- 
ington, did  in  most  enduring  fashion  this  delicate  and  difficult 
work.  I  am  assured  that  he  was  unsurpassed  in  his  specialty  by 
anyone  anywhere. 

Dr.  Goebel  on  first  reading  this  biography  remarked,  "Why, 
Dr.  Bausman  was  a  saint."  This  accords  with  the  observation  of 
multitudes  of  others.  There  is  a  timeless  quahty,  a  perennial 
interest  and  inspiration  in  a  unique  personality  such  as  this. 
Feeling  that  the  perusal  of  this  life  story  will  bring  spiritual  bless- 
ing we  put  forth  this  second  issue  with  the  prayer  that  it  may  aid 
in  perpetuating  Dr.  Bausman's  spirit  which  was  that  of  his  Master 
whom  he  so  passionately  served. 

Henry  H.  Ranck,  D.D., 
Pastor  of  Grace  Reformed  Church 
September  16,  1935.  Washington,  D.  C. 

II 

The  second  issue  of  "The  Life  of  the  Reverend  Benjamin  Bausman, 
D.D.,  LL.D."  at  this  time  is  most  appropriate.  Though  he  died 
in  1909  and  the  first  issue  of  his  biography  appeared  in  1912,  his 
spirit  is  still  felt  by  those  who  knew  and  heard  him,  yes,  through- 
out the  Church  in  which  he  lived,  labored,  and  died;  and  the 
record  of  his  life  is  as  fresh  and  inspiring  reading  as  when  it  was 
first  pubUshed. 

As  a  young  man  in  the  twenties  I  enjoyed  the  rare  privilege  of 
fellowship  with  Dr.  Bausman  in  his  home.  I  preached  for  him 
occasionally  while  he  was  pastor  in  St.  Paul's  Reformed  Church, 
Reading;  and  only  too  infrequently  did  I  hear  him  preach,  an 
experience  never  to  be  forgotten.  More  than  once  we  sat  in  his 
study  and  he  reminisced  till  the  midnight  hour  about  the  Reformed 
Church  in  the  first  half  of  the  nineteenth  century,  the  early  days 
of  Franklin  and  Marshall  College  and  the  Theological  Seminary 
at  Mercersburg,  Dr.  Schaff,  Dr.  Nevin,  Dr.  Harbaugh,  and  other 
men  some  of  whom  were  his  teachers,  others  his  school-mates 
and  companions  in  the  ministry.  Those  were  the  days  of  small 
things  and  great  men;  and  to  me  they  seemed  to  belong  to  ancient 


INTRODUCTIONS       TO       THE       SECOND       ISSUE 

history.  But  I  never  knew  Dr.  Bausman  in  his  manifold  activities 
throughout  his  ministry  of  nearly  sixty  years  until  I  read  the 
biography  by  Dr.  Ranck,  so  rich  in  selections  from  his  brief 
autobiography,  his  writings,  sermons,  letters,  editorials,  and  from 
estimates  of  him  by  men  both  of  the  Reformed  Church  and  of 
other  churches.  He  was  known  and  revered  far  beyond  the 
bounds  of  his  own  denomination.  The  author  caught  the  spirit 
of  his  subject  and  portrayed  him  in  such  a  way  that  the  mind  of 
the  reader  is  enriched  and  above  all  his  heart  is  warmed  by  contact 
with  an  inspiring  and  conquering  personality. 

I  know  of  no  man  in  the  Reformed  Church  whose  life  and  work 
will  call  forth  more  appreciation  from  the  ministers  and  laymen 
of  the  Evangelical  group  than  that  of  Dr.  Bausman.  He  was  of 
German  ancestry,  loved  the  German  people,  could  preach  in 
German,  and  edited  a  German  paper — Der  Hausfreund.  He  would 
have  felt  at  home  with  them  and  they  with  him.  To  know  the 
genius  of  a  church  one  must  know  the  men  in  whom  the  spirit  of 
the  church  lives  and  through  whom  it  speaks.  This  fact  was 
brought  home  to  me  when  I  began  to  study  the  history  of  the 
Evangelical  Synod  of  North  America  in  the  histories  of  Muecke 
and  Kamphausen — both  unusually  well  done.  I  know  that  Church 
not  merely  through  its  constitution  and  creedal  statements,  its 
mode  of  worship,  and  its  missionary  and  benevolent  operations, 
but  above  all  through  its  founders  and  fathers  in  America  among 
whom  are:  Garlichs,  Nollau,  Rieger,  Baltzer,  Irion,  Otto,  Becker, 
and  the  indefatigable  home  missionary  von  Rague  with  twenty-six 
congregations  to  his  credit,  the  last  two  founded  in  his  old  age  in 
Chicago.  Dr.  Bausman  shared  with  these  men  their  love  for  the 
Fatherland,  their  loyalty  to  America,  their  appreciation  of  the 
Evangelical  Reformers  in  Germany  and  Switzerland,  and  their 
labors  for  every  cause  of  the  Church. 

This  book  will  awaken  the  best  that  is  in  the  reader  of  the 
present  and  the  coming  generation,  and  will  enable  him  to  under- 
stand the  spirit  of  the  Church  of  his  fathers  as  well  as  the  secret 
of  the  power  of  a  minister  who  was  a  sterling  citizen,  a  faithful 
Christian,  an  unusually  effective  preacher  of  the  Gospel,  and  an 
incomparable  leader  in  the  educational,  missionary,  and  benevolent 
work  of  the  Church. 

More  than  once  I  have  said  what  the  author  quotes:  that  Dr. 
Bausman  would  have  ranked  among  the  first  five  ministers  as 
preacher,  pastor,  and  scholar,  in  any  church  in  America.  I  welcome 
the  second  issue  of  this  biography  in  order  that  the  influence  of 
his  life  may  be  continued. 

George  W.  Richards,  D.D.,  LL.D. 
President  of  the  Evangelical  and  Reformed  Church. 

September,  1935,  Lancaster,  Pa. 


INTRODUCTIONS      TO      THE      SECOND      ISSUE 
III 

"Unless  our  dear  Lord  will  send  into  Protestantism  some  new 
principle  of  Catholic  unity,  or  in  His  all-wise  Providence  check 
the  tendency  to  individualism,  Heaven  alone  knows  where 
Protestantism  will  terminate."  Thus  writes  Benjamin  Bausman, 
then  a  student  at  the  Theological  Seminary,  Mercersburg,  Pa.,  to 
his  friend.  Rev.  Herman  Rust  in  Cmcinnati,  Ohio,  on  June  18th, 
1852.  To  us  of  another  century  these  words  seem  to  be  almost 
the  voice  of  prophecy.  They  are  as  pertinent  today  as  they  were 
in  the  middle  of  the  last  century. 

Rev.  Benjamin  Bausman,  D.D.,  LL.D,,  for  fifty-six  years 
engaged  in  the  active  ministry  of  the  Reformed  Church  of  the 
United  States,  is  truly  to  be  reckoned  among  the  great  religious 
leaders,  not  merely  of  his  denomination,  but  of  American  Protes- 
tantism of  the  second  half  of  the  last  century.  Distinguished  as  a 
great  preacher,  lecturer  and  editor,  his  greatest  service  was 
rendered  as  a  pastor  and  churchman.  A  man  of  great  CathoUc 
and  liberal  spirit  he  yet  was  a  realist,  recognizing  the  fact  that  as 
long  as  denominational  divisions  are  with  us  the  individual  can 
serve  the  cause  of  Christ  best  through  the  agency  of  the  group  of 
which  he  is  a  part. 

The  Rev.  Henry  H.  Ranck,  D.D.,  Pastor  of  Grace  Reformed 
Church  in  Washington,  D.  C,  has  rendered  the  church  a  service 
of  the  first  order  by  giving  us  his  volume,  "The  Life  of  Benjamin 
Bausman."  It  is,  indeed,  more  than  the  story  of  the  life  and 
service  of  one  man.  So  completely  was  the  life  of  Dr.  Bausman 
interwoven  with  the  whole  fabric  of  the  history  of  the  Reformed 
Church  in  the  United  States  of  his  day  that  to  know  this  one  man 
is  to  have  obtained  a  rather  thorough  understanding  of  the  work, 
growth,  and  spirit  of  the  whole  church.  The  book  is  so  ably  written 
that  it  deserves  the  widest  possible  distribution  in  the  church. 

We  would  especially  recommend  this  volume  to  that  part  of  the 
Evangelical  and  Reformed  Church,  which  having  been  dedicated 
throughout  its  history  to  the  principle  of  Catholic  unity  now  has 
entered  not  only  into  fellowship,  but  into  organic  union  with  the 
Reformed  Church,  the  former  members  of  the  EvangeUcal  Synod 
of  North  America.  If  we  would  live  together,  and  work  effectively 
for  the  up-building  of  the  church,  we  need  to  know  and  under- 
stand one  another.  But  even  apart  from  this  "The  Life  of 
Benjamin  Bausman"  deserves  a  place  in  the  Ubrary  of  every 
Protestant  minister  and  lay  church  leader. 

L.  W.  GOEBEL,   D.D., 

Vice-President  of  the  Evangelical  and  Reformed  Church. 
July,  1935,  Chicago,  111. 


The  Life 


Benjamin  Bausman 


CHAPTER  I 

Ancestry:  Early  Years,  1824-1846 

BROTHER  WOLFF  does  not  worship  you;  but  he  thinks 
there  is  only  one  of  the  kind  in  the  world.  In  this  he 
is  correct."  Thus  wrote  Dr.  Harbaugh  on  a  visit  to  Chambers- 
burg  to  Benjamin  Bausman  shortly  after  the  beginning  of  the 
Reading  pastorate.  A  living  theologian  says  of  Dr.  Bausman 
that  "he  would  have  been  one  of  the  five  leading  men  in  any 
denomination  in  the  country."  This  uniqueness  and  eminence, 
as  a  personality,  leader  and  man  of  God,  impressed  every  one 
immediately  and  grew  upon  him  the  longer  he  knew  Dr.  Baus- 
man. His  quick  rise  to  church  leadership  in  but  a  few  years 
after  beginning  his  ministry,  and  the  undimmed  splendor  of  his 
career  to  its  very  close,  is  his  own  vindication  of  the  judgment 
of  his  friends.  It  is  not  for  us  to  explain  the  psychic  sources  of 
his  personality;  but  the  bent  and  persistence  of  his  soul  we  very 
naturally  account  for,  as  he  himself  did,  in  the  brooding  parental 
care  and  nurture  of  youth. 

Benjamin  Bausman's  home  life  was  glorified  in  his  memory, 
and  he  found  peculiar  pleasure  in  speaking  of  mother  and  father, 
sister,  brothers  and  kin,  as  one  notes  from  his  diaries  and  from  his 
articles  and  sermons,  all  through  his  long  life.     The  roots  of  his 

13 


14  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

ruling  principles  are  plainly  found  here,  and  he  never  ceased  in 
pathetic  and  beautiful  iteration  to  give  thanks  for  his  godly- 
parents.  He  was  of  German  blood  and  was  proud  of  it.  He 
recognized  in  his  mother's  ancestry  a  strain  of  the  Huguenot,  but 
he  was  careful  to  state  that  the  German  predominated,  for  he 
would  have  it  so.  He  was  swift  to  defend,  against  any  unwar- 
ranted charge,  his  race  in  the  Fatherland  or  in  America,  particu- 
larly the  unspoiled  common  people  whose  stable  piety  and  do- 
mestic virtues  he  regarded  as  exemplary. 

He  wrote  of  a  German  home  whose  hospitality  he  enjoyed: 
"Most  beautiful  was  the  unaffected  tenderness  between  parents 
and  children.  So  gentle,  openhearted,  respectful,  familiar  in 
tones  of  voice  and  modes  of  expression;  in  look,  language  and 
manner  there  is  a  certain  something  in  the  intercourse  between 
Christian  German  parents  and  their  children,  which  one  finds 
nowhere  else." 

He  not  only  appreciated  the  beauty  of  this  relationship,  but 
honored  it  in  a  fine  fihal  regard. 

He  was  a  hard  worker  through  life;  he  advocated  and  enforced 
disciphne  in  the  church;  he  was  gifted  with  a  rare,  practical 
common  sense,  which  made  him  a  farsighted  and  prudent  man  of 
affairs;  righteousness  and  holiness  were  the  under-girders  of  his 
character  and  he  well  knew  that  these  qualities  were  his  because 
of  the  firm  but  tender  training  of  his  parents.  The  rich  impulses 
of  his  piety  were  intertwined  with  the  human  strands  of  tender- 
est  filial  feeling.  Therefore,  because  of  this  conviction  of  ex- 
perience, he  became  the  insistent  advocate  of  Christian  nurture 
as  the  only  sane  and  telling  method  of  character  building. 

He  was  always  a  true  friend  of  the  boys  and  girls  and  wrote 
much  for  them,  particularly  in  the  Guardian.  That  he  might 
"point  a  moral  or  adorn  a  tale"  he  ransacked  every  nook  and 
corner  of  his  early  experiences  and  to  this  happy  practice  his 
biographer  is  indebted  for  many  facts.  The  reader  is  thus 
privileged  to  learn  the  story  of  Dr.  Bausman's  ancestors  and 
early  years  largely  from  his  own  words. 

In  his  latter  years  especially  he  would  celebrate  the  anniver- 
saries of  important  events  in  his  own  or  his  family's  history  by 


ancestry:   early  years  15 

thankful,  prayerful  meditations  upon  them,  and  no  doubt  such 
a  mood  was  upon  him  seven  years  before  his  death  when  he  pre- 
pared what  he  entitles  "Autobiographical  Material."  This 
will  be  used  largely  in  this  first  chapter. 

In  the  autumn  of  1802  a  young  Palatine  of  twenty  years  landed 
in  Philadelphia,  after  a  two  months'  voyage  from  Amsterdam. 
It  happened  just  one  hundred  years  ago.  He  was  a  native  of 
the  lower  Palatinate.  His  home  was  in  Freilaubersheim,  a 
peasant  village,  about  twelve  miles  from  Bingen.  Who  that 
has  ever  visited  Bingen,  can  forget  the  picturesque  city,  embow- 
ered among  over-hanging,  vine-clad  hills?  The  west  side  of  the 
Rhine  then  belonged  to  France.  Then,  already  France  was  lay- 
ing plans  for  the  invasion  of  Germany,  which  ten  years  later 
Napoleon  accomplished  with  such  serious  results.  The  young 
man's  time  to  enter  the  French  army  was  at  hand.  That  meant 
that  he  must  fight  against  his  German  brethren.  "Give  me 
exile  or  give  me  death,  but  fight  them  I  never  will,"  he  said. 
Through  the  help  of  a  friend,  he  secretly  obtained  a  passport 
and  slipped  away  to  America. 

On  a  pleasant  spring  day,  a  small  group  of  friends  gave  him 
the  usual  parting  greeting  of  pious  Germans,  "Adieu,  lieber 
Hannes,  auf  Wiedersehen"  (Adieu,  dear  John,  in  hope  of  meet- 
ing again.)  His  widowed  mother  gave  him  her  tender  embrace 
and  parting  blessing.  Between  him  and  his  mother  and  only 
brother,  it  is  the  last  parting. 

"They  meet  no  more  on  Bingen, 
Loved  Bingen  on  the  Rhine." 

A  flat  boat  was  in  waiting  to  take  the  youth  and  a  few  travel- 
ing companions  down  the  river  to  Amsterdam.  They  had 
bought  it  for  this  trip.  Their  chests  were  on  board.  Now  the 
moist  eyes  of  the  youth  rest  upon  the  charming  scene  for  the  last 
time.  Down  the  historic  river  floated  the  boat  past  the  Binger 
Loch  (a  whirlpool)  and  the  Mausthurm  (the  ruins  of  an  old  tower) 
and  when  almost  out  of  sight,  the  parting  friends  waved  the  right 
hand  in  final  greeting,  and  with  the  left  wiped  away  the  tears 
still  falling  fast.  Those  on  the  shore  sadly  returned  to  their 
village  home,  and  he,  on  the  boat,  floated  gently  along  the  roman- 
tic lands,  toward  the  new  world  in  the  far  distant  west,  floated 
away,  too,  from  French  tyranny  which  had  marked  him  as  a 
soldier  to  fight  against  his  Fatherland.  Ere  long  the  French 
pickets  on  the  banks  opened  fire  on  them  and  the  bullets  whizzed 
around  his  head.     At  length  they  engaged  a  German  with  his 


16  ancestry:   early  years 

farm-wagon  to  convey  them  overland  to  Amsterdam.  In  1856 
two  of  that  little  group  at  the  Bingen  wharf,  then  old  men,  told 
me  the  story  of  that  parting  scene  one  hundred  years  ago. 

Andreas  Bausman,  his  father's  brother,  had  come  to  America 
many  years  before.  The  owner  of  a  large  tract  of  land  near 
Lancaster,  Pa.,  himself  childless,  he  invited  his  nephews  to  come 
to  this  country  to  help  him  in  the  management  of  his  estate. 
Here  the  young  Palatine  found  a  welcome  home  and  plenty  of 
work.  Later  he  fell  heir  to  the  bulk  of  his  uncle's  estate.  Thus 
it  happened  that  I  was  born  in  this  country  instead  of  in  Europe 
or  somewhere  else. 

According  to  I.  D.  Rupp's  "Thirty  Thousand  Names," 
Andreas  Bausman  landed  at  Philadelphia  November  10th,  1764, 
having  sailed  from  Rotterdam  on  the  ship  Boston. 

The  Bausman  family  at  Freilaubersheim  were  plain  peasants, 
and  their  ancestry  is  traced  back  to  one  Philip  Bausman,  born  in 
1538.  The  office  of  burgomeister  in  the  home  town  was  held 
several  times  by  a  member  of  the  family. 

Andreas  Bausman  was  not  the  first  of  the  family  to  venture 
to  the  New  World.  His  father's  brother,  William,  came  as 
early  as  1746,  and  was  a  prominent  citizen  of  Lancaster  during 
the  Revolutionary  period,  when  he  served  as  barracks-master 
and  as  "commissioner  to  seize  the  personal  effects  of  traitors," 
and  also  as  chief  burgess.  It  was  he  who  built  what  is  perhaps 
the  oldest  house  now  standing  in  Lancaster,  121-123  East  King 
Street,  before  which  many  a  visitor  pauses  to  read  the  quaint 
inscription: 

"William  Bowsman  and  Elisabeth  Built  this  House,  1762. " 

His  son  William  was  likewise  prominent  in  county  politics 
and  served  as  Register  of  Wills  and  Recorder  at  the  beginning 
of  the  new  century.  It  was  at  his  door  that  Dr.  Bausman's 
father  knocked  and  asked  for  food.  He  was  travel- worn  and 
weary,  and  it  was  not  surprising  that  his  story  of  being  on  the 
way  to  his  rich  uncle  Andreas  in  the  country  nearby  was  doubted. 
He  enjoyed  his  meal  after  spending  some  time  on  the  wood  pile. 
This  chilly  reception  was  forgiven.  In  after  years,  when  reverses 
came  to  these  distant  relatives,  he  took  pleasure  in  helping  them. 


ancestry:   early  years  17 

Andreas  Bausman  died  in  1814.  In  his  will  he  remembered 
with  small  amounts  cousins  and  relatives  in  Europe  and  in  Amer- 
ica, but  the  will  reads  further:  "As  to  my  Real  Estate,  con- 
sisting of  a  plantation  adjoining  the  Little  Conestoga  Creek,  on 
which  my  nephew  John  Bausman  now  liveth,  another  plantation 
next  adjoining  whereon  I  now  live,  and  a  small  tract  of  woodland 
in  Martic  Township,  and  2  houses  and  lots  on  Orange  and  Water 
Streets  in  the  Borough  of  Lancaster,  with  all  the  rights  and 
appurtenances  thereto  belonging  I  give  hereby  and  bequeathe 
to  my  said  nephew  John  Bausman,  son  of  my  deceased  brother 
Henry,"  etc. 

Thus  Dr.  Bausman's  father  entered  into  a  large  inheritance, 
which  was  originally  intended  for  both  nephews.  The  older 
brother  chose  to  remain  in  the  old  village  of  the  Fatherland,  the 
stay  of  the  aged  mother.  Undoubtedly  she  was  glad  to  have 
him  remain.  Family  tradition  has  it  that  he  feared  the  perilous 
voyage,  and  when  he  thought  of  the  stormy  Atlantic  said,  "I'll 
never  cross  that  great  water." 

The  history  of  the  First  Reformed  Church  of  Lancaster  records 
that  in  1813  it  received  a  legacy  from  Andreas  Bausman,  in 
memory  of  his  deceased  wife,  to  the  amount  of  $50.00;  and  in 
the  year  following  he  left  another  legacy  of  $500.00  to  the  congre- 
gation, the  interest  of  which  was  to  be  used  for  the  poor. 

Dr.  Bausman's  father  was  confirmed  in  the  village  church 
of  his  old  home  when  he  was  thirteen  years  old.  He  brought 
with  him  a  German  hymn-book,  on  the  inside  cover  of  which 
is  written  in  German  script  under  date  of  December  24, 
1804,  what  is  translated  as  follows:  "This  book  belongs 
to  John  Bausman.  He  brought  it  with  him  from  Germany. 
He  bought  it  for  nine  Batzen.  He  loves  it  and  whoever  finds 
it  shall  return  it  to  him.  I  love  the  Lord  with  my  whole  heart 
and  will  remain  true  to  Him  until  death. 

Johannes  Bausman." 

The  "Autobiographical  Material"  continues: 

My  father  at  once  connected  with  what  is  now  the  First  Re- 
formed Church  of  Lancaster,  where  the  uncle  had  been  an  elder 
for  many  years.     In  1805,  April  4,  he  married  Elizabeth  Peters, 
2 


18  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

a  member  of  the  same  church.  She  was  born  in  this  country; 
her  ancestors  on  her  father's  side  came  from  Alsace.  Thus 
she  seems  to  have  been  of  a  mixed  German  and  French  descent. 
How  much  of  each  I  do  not  know;  evidently  much  more  of  Ger- 
man than  of  French.  They  were  a  happy  couple;  industrious, 
thrifty,  godly;  of  different  dispositions  and  temperaments,  yet 
well  mated.  The  husband,  a  man  of  robust,  manly  strength, 
on  occasions  somewhat  impulsive;  the  wife  of  a  more  calm,  gentle, 
contemplative  nature.  The  two  complemented  each  other,  as 
Schiller  says: 

"Denn  wo  das  Strenge  mit  dem  Zarten, 

Wo  Starkes  sich  und  Mildes  paarten, 

Da  giebt  es  einen  guten  Klang." 

During  a  period  of  eighteen  years,  nine  children  were  born 
to  them,  eight  sons  and  one  daughter.  I  came  last,  the  Benja- 
min of  the  tribe.  All  grew  up  to  adult  years.  One  died  at  nearly 
forty  years  of  age.     The  rest  all  reached  a  greater  age. 

The  date  of  Benjamin  Bausman's  birth  was  January  28,  1824. 

Ours  was  a  lively  home,  with  the  irrepressible  life  of  nine 
buoyant,  bouncing  youngsters.  What  a  table  mother  used  to 
spread  for  us!  Her  brood  kept  her  hands  and  heart  busy.  I 
always  sat  aside  of  father.  There  is  no  place  like  a  well  conducted 
farm  home  to  raise  such  a  family,  where  the  surplus  vitality  of 
the  young  has  free  scope  at  work  and  play.  The  sons  were  all 
trained  to  work  on  the  farm.  The  daughter  was  taught  the  art 
of  housekeeping;  of  which  she  made  diligent  use  in  the  raising 
of  a  large  family. 

Father  held  to  the  typical  German  method  of  parental  train- 
ing. His  word  was  law;  when  broken  there  was  trouble  in  camp. 
He  gave  me  only  one  flogging;  it  was  an  orthodox  application 
of  the  rod,  grievous  at  the  time,  but  it  has  worked  the  peace- 
able fruits  of  righteousness  ever  since.  Mother,  too,  had  her 
rod,  laid  at  a  conspicuous  place.  To  that  her  finger  would  point 
at  any  outbreak  of  naughtiness.  As  a  rule  that  answered  the  pur- 
pose. To  us  children  she  was  always  the  more  approachable 
of  the  two,  was  more  readily  touched  with  a  feeling  of  our  in- 
firmity, sometimes  interceding  for  us  penitent  offenders.  When 
counseling  about  studying  for  the  ministry,  I  approached  father 
through  her.  There  was  no  urgency  for  or  against  the  step. 
"Pray  God  for  light,  this  is  a  matter  between  you  and  Him.  Do 
what  He  tells  you,"  said  both.     How  wise  they  both  were! 


ancestry:   early  years  19 

Ours  was  a  religious  home,  after  the  German  style.  At  table, 
father  always  folded  his  hands  before  his  plate  in  silent  prayer. 
His  devout  family  heard  whispers  which  used  to  make  me  feel 
very  solemn.  Every  one  of  us  was  taught  a  little  table  prayer, 
which  each  prayed  in  his  own  fashion.  I  never  heard  father  pray 
audibly  at  table;  but  this  silent  prayer  was  never  omitted,  no 
matter  what  visiting  guests  might  be  present,  and  we  had  many 
of  them. 

In  a  corner  on  a  bench  behind  the  dining  table  stood  a  large 
old  family  Bible,  heavily  bound,  with  metallic  corners  and  clasp. 
Aside  of  it  was  an  old  well-worn  German  prayer-book.  It  was 
his  custom  to  read  both  in  the  evening,  sometimes  aloud  for  the 
whole  family.  Often  I  noticed  him  weeping  in  reading  the  sweet 
stories  of  Isaac,  Jacob,  Joseph  and  Jesus.  He  loved  to  sing 
German  hymns  and  taught  some  of  us  younger  children  to  sing 
them.  He  always  took  the  English  and  German  church  papers. 
Our  family  read  the  Reformed  Messenger  more  than  sixty  years 
ago.  Mother  taught  us  our  prayers.  These  consisted  mainly 
of  certain  passages  from  the  Bible  or  verses  from  hymns.  Our 
first  altar  was  her  lap,  at  which  we  knelt  in  our  night  slips  and 
poured  out  our  child  hearts  to  God.  Those  little  talks  with 
God  were  very  real  to  us. 

There  were  no  Sunday-schools  near  us;  indeed,  very  few  any- 
where. Our  church  going  was  not  very  regular;  that  is,  not 
twice  every  Sunday.  We  had  two  miles  to  church.  Usually 
father  and  mother  would  attend  every  Sunday  morning.  They 
would  go  in  a  one-horse  chaise,  the  only  vehicle  then   in  use. 

At  the  proper  age  every  one  had  to  attend  the  pastor's  in- 
structions in  the  Catechism.  We  were  told  to  go  and  we  went, 
and  that  was  the  end  of  it;  and  we  went  to  study.  We  had  to 
commit  the  Catechism.  I  remember  that  I  and  a  brother  used 
to  rise  before  daybreak  to  commit  our  lessons.  Such  rules  may 
now  seem  somewhat  rigid;  but  I  think  they  have  borne  good 
fruit. 

I  can  trace  about  one  hundred  living  descendants  of  the  two 
lovers  that  found  each  other  a  hundred  years  ago.  They  are 
like  other  people,  of  varying  degrees  of  Christian  earnestness; 
but  so  far  as  I  can  ascertain  there  are  less  than  half  a  dozen  who 
are  not  sincerely  striving  to  live  a  consistent  Christian  life. 
Five  became  ministers  of  the  gospel,  one  of  whom  entered  upon 
his  reward  on  the  threshold  of  the  sacred  office.  [Clarence  G.  Baus- 
man,  grandson  of  Dr.  Bausman's  brother  Samuel.] 

On  Communion  Sundays  his  father  and  mother  would  eat 
nothing  whatever  until  they  returned  from  service.     A  grand- 


20  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

daughter  of  Father  Bausman  recalls  how  she  often  saw  him 
poring  for  hours  over  the  old  family  Bible  and  then  walking  to 
and  fro  on  the  house  porch  meditating  upon  it.  He  would  be 
so  absorbed  as  to  be  oblivious  of  the  chatting  and  laughing  of  a 
crowd  of  younger  folk  about  him. 

The  poor  were  helped  generously,  and  trampers  always  found 
in  that  home  a  lodging  and  a  meal.  The  meekness  of  Father 
Bausman  is  shown  in  his  experience  with  one  of  them,  Mathias, 
a  German,  who  was  a  frequent  visitor.  He  came  to  the  home 
drunk  and  "stoutly  abused  my  father.  Did  not  we  boys  expect 
that  the  ungrateful  man  would  be  thrown  out  of  doors?  Yet 
father  answered  him  not  a  word."  This  heaping  coals  of  fire 
on  the  tramp's  head  evidently  had  its  effect,  for  "early  next 
morning,  he  skulked  away  and  never  repeated  his  visits  for 
months  afterward." 

Offenders  did  not  always  get  off  so  easily,  however.  Dr. 
Bausman  writes  of  a  traveling  peddler,  whom  he  calls  a  Neulander, 
who  was  selling  "Kaiser's  Pillen."  He  was  clerical  in  dress  and 
appearance  and  won  Father  Bausman's  confidence.  He  "com- 
mitted a  considerable  sum  of  money  to  him  which  he  wished  to 
send  to  relatives  in  Europe."  The  Neulander  turned  thief  as 
was  learned  by  letter  from  the  friends  in  Europe.  A  guilty  con- 
science kept  the  peddler  away  for  a  long  time,  but  again  he  ap- 
peared, 

coming  down  the  lane  with  stately  steps.  What  now?  After 
tea,  father  took  him  into  a  room  by  himself,  confronted  him  with 
the  statements  of  the  European  letters  and  read  him  a  lesson 
in  burning  words  under  which  the  rogue  seemed  to  squirm  and 
writhe.  In  vain  were  his  efforts  to  smoothe  over  or  palliate  the 
crime.  He  was  a  scoundrel  and  a  thief  and  was  told  so  by  one 
who  had  confided  in  him.  It  was  a  stormy  time  the  two  men 
had  together. 

Mother  Bausman  was  tall  and  slim,  of  a  nervous,  keen,  fine- 
grained nature.  There  remains,  we  regret  to  say,  no  photograph 
of  her,  but  her  son  Benjamin  is  said  to  have  resembled  her  very 
markedly  in  appearance  and  temperament.  He  referred  to  her 
very  often  in  his  writings  and  sermons  and  always  with  the  ut- 


ancestry:   early  years  21 

most  tenderness  and  sometimes  with  tears.  "What  I  am  under 
God  I  owe  to  my  mother  more  than  to  any  other  human  soul, " 
he  was  wont  to  say. 

Her  mother's  maiden  name  was  Lutz.  Her  paternal  ancestors 
came  from  Bischweiler,  Germany. 

Abraham  Peters,  her  brother,  lived  to  a  great  age.  He  was  a 
man  of  unimpeachable  integrity  and  was  prominent  in  the  affairs 
of  Lancaster  County.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Millers- 
ville  State  Normal  School  and  for  a  time  a  member  of  the  State 
Legislature. 

Dr.  Bausman  wrote  thus  in  the  Guardian  of  his  early  church 
training: 

Our  now  sainted  parents,  from  early  boyhood,  always  took  us 
with  them  to  church.  Often  of  a  pleasant  Sunday  morning  we 
walked  a  distance  of  two  miles  to  the  old  stone  church  in  Lan- 
caster. We  can  still  remember  how  we  sat  with  them  in  their 
pew,  and  with  what  a  solemn  pleasure  we  first  watched  father 
and  mother  bowing  their  heads  and  whispering  their  short  pray- 
ers as  they  sat  down  in  their  pew.  And  how  earnestly  they 
sang.  And  how  tired  we  sometimes  got  because  our  feet  could 
not  reach  the  floor,  and  our  child-mind  could  not  feel  the  same 
interest  in  the  sermon  as  older  people.  And  yet  the  whole  serv- 
ice seemed  a  heaven  on  earth  to  us.  The  kneeling  place  around 
the  outside  of  the  chancel  railing  sat  full  of  little  children,  who 
looked  like  angels,  circling  around  good  old  parson  Hoffmeier, 
waiting  to  carry  forth  and  impress  his  message  upon  the  hearts 
"of  those  who  are  heirs  of  salvation."  The  organ  loft  and  one 
side  of  the  gallery  were  crowded  with  boys  and  girls.  True, 
some  of  the  more  restless  ones  gave  stern  sexton  Hubert  a  world 
of  trouble.  And  many  watched  him  working  the  long  mysteri- 
ous levers  of  the  large  organ-bellows.  In  short  the  congregation 
assembled  for  public  worship  was  composed  of  parents  and  their 
children. 

One  pleasant  Sunday  morning  our  dear  father,  with  two  of  his 
boys  with  him,  walked  lesisurely  up  West  King  Street,  on  his 
way  to  church.  In  passing  Cooper's  Hotel  he  was  accosted  by 
an  acquaintance.  He  was  not  a  member  of  the  church,  a  man 
of  wealth  and  wild,  reckless  habits;  indeed  was  known  by  the 

soubriquet  of  "wild  John  S . "     His  sons  were  as  wild  as 

their  father,  whom  they  treated  with  disobedience  and  disre- 
spect. He  had  evidently  been  drinking  too  much  the  day  and 
night  previous.     As  he  sat  on  the  board  bench  in  front  of  the 


22  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

hotel,  listening  to  the  solemn  ringing  of  the  church-going  bell, 
our  father  passed  along. 

After  the  usual  greeting,  his  acquaintance  pressed  him  to  take 
a  seat  beside  him.     He  replied  that  he  could  not. 

"Why  not?     Where  are  you  going?" 

"I  am  going  to  church,"  said  father. 

"To  church?     Do  you  go  to  church  every  Sunday?" 

"Yes,  if  I  possibly  can." 

"And  do  you  always  take  both  your  boys  with  you?" 

"Yes." 

"Why,  how  can  you  get  them  to  go  with  you?  Mine  would 
not  do  that." 

"I  have  no  trouble  with  mine.  I  take  them  with  me  when 
they  are  small,  and  as  they  grow  older  they  wish  to  do  it  with- 
out being  urged.  I  have  an  old  book  at  home,  which  I  read  a 
great  deal.     It  says: 

"'Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he  shall  go,  and  when  he  is  old 
he  will  not  depart  from  it ! '  I  have  tried  to  do  that,  and  thus  far 
have  found  it  true  with  my  children." 

After  a  short  pause  wild  John  S sadly  replied: 

"B.,  I  wish  I  had  done  the  same.  You  are  a  happy  man,  far 
happier  than  I  am.  My  children  give  me  no  comfort.  They  are 
leading  an  unchristian,  reckless  life.  And  what  is  worse,  they 
have  learned  it  of  me." 

"S ,  it  is  your  own  fault.     Come,  begin  a  Christian  life. 

Come  with  me  to  church.     Make  a  beginning." 

"Alas,  it  is  too  late  now.  Too  late  to  train  my  children  in 
the  way  they  should  go,  after  they  have  grown  up  and  been  hard- 
ened in  sin.  And  I  set  them  the  example.  B.,  you  are  a  happy 
man,  but  I  am  very  unhappy." 

They  parted,  the  one  with  a  little  boy  at  each  hand,  thank- 
fully went  to  the  sanctuary.  The  other  pondered  long  and 
sadly  on  the  bench.  The  one  took  his  children  with  him  to  church 
and  sought  to  train  them  in  the  right  way,  and  so  far  as  human 
eye  can  see  and  tell,  they  have  not  departed  from  it.  The  other, 
with  his  offspring,  have  made  shipwreck  of  life,  have  been  ruined 
in  body,  reputation  and  soul. 

I  faintly  remember  certain  incidents  in  my  early  childhood. 
One  was  standing  by  my  mother's  lap  with  folded  hands  slowly 
repeating  my  httle  evening  prayer. 

One  night  when  a  mere  child,  I  fell  asleep  on  a  bench  in  our 
open  summer  house.  Thinking  that  I  had  been  put  to  bed  I 
was  not  missed  by  my  mother.  About  midnight  the  rain  patter- 
ing on  the  roof  awoke  me.  Greatly  frightened  I  pounded  against 
the  window  of  mother's  bed  room  and  called  for  help.     How 


ancestry:    early  years  23 

quickly  frightened  mother  Ufted  me  into  her  warm  bed!  Since 
then  I  have  often  knocked  at  the  window  of  God's  tender  love 
in  the  night  of  some  great  distress  and  he  always  opened  the 
window  and  lifted  me  into  His  Fatherly  shelter. 

Each  of  us  boys  began  his  career  in  farming  by  attending  the 
sheep,  taking  the  cows  to  pasture,  picking  apples,  carrying  water 
and  the  10  o'clock  lunch  to  men  in  the  hay  and  harvest  field; 
spreading  the  grass  after  the  mowers;  turning  and  raking  hay 
and  tramping  it  down  when  put  into  the  mow,  carrying  the  sheaves 
into  heaps  for  shucking  in  the  harvest  field.  Later  the  youth 
with  scythe  in  hand  was  put  into  line  with  the  mowers.  In  the 
harvest  field  he  was  put  to  raking  and  binding  sheaves,  after  the 
cradlers.  A  pleasing  sight  were  lines  of  from  five  to  ten  men  in 
a  row,  all  simultaneously  swinging  scythe  or  cradle  as  with  one 
stroke,  with  the  precise  regularity  of  a  pendulum. 

Dr.  Bausman's  published  writings  supplement  this  "Auto- 
biographical Material"  with  many  hints  and  impressions  of  the 
sweet  old  home  life: 

Our  babyhood  is  a  blank.  After  it,  comes  the  twilight  of  con- 
sciousness. Into  that  dim  dawn  of  our  knowing  and  known  life, 
memory  eagerly  strives  to  peer.  A  dreamy  vision  of  a  little 
check  frock  and  apron  often  haunts  my  memory.  Was  it  mine? 
And  then  on  a  certain  day  the  boisterous  owner  thrust  his  awk- 
ward little  limbs  into  a  pair  of  pantaloons  and  "roundabout." 
And  he  bounced  after  everybody  around  the  premises,  with  in- 
finite prattle,  displaying  the  insignia  of  boyhood.  And  well  he 
might.  Hitherto  he  was  a  child  in  a  frock,  now  a  boy  in  panta- 
loons. Very  well,  must  you  know,  my  dear  reader,  what 
an  epoch  this  transition  from  a  frock  to  pant-life  makes  in  the 
history  of  a  boy!  No  wonder  that  such  an  important  turn  in 
his  affairs  should  impress  itself  on  his  memory.  Beyond  that, 
his  life  is  pre-historic,  antediluvian. 

Another  event  I  can  remember  more  distinctly.  It  was  on 
my  sixth  birthday.  And  great  was  my  joy  over  its  blessings. 
"Old  Remmig"  was  the  flax-breaker  and  sheep-shearer  for  the 
whole  neighborhood.  He  was  a  great  snuffer,  a  great  swearer,  a 
great  whiskey-drinker,  and  a  great  Har;  when  out  of  humor  he 
was  the  terror  of  the  children.  Seated  on  a  chair  aside  of  the 
old  clock,  giving  vent  to  my  joy,  the  ruffian  slyly  seized  my  ear, 
and  well  nigh  lifted  me  from  my  seat,  seeming  determined  to  pull 
it  out  by  the  roots.  My  joy  was  turned  into  a  shrieking  sorrow. 
Had  I  possessed  the  strength  of  a  man  to  back  my  boy-wrath, 
"Old  Remmig"  would  very   likely  have   left  the  room   with  a 


24  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

bloody  nose.  Every  almanac  reminded  me  that  January  was  a 
very  bad  month  to  be  born  in.  That  all  thus  born  are  sefi-willed, 
ill-natured,  selfish — in  short,  people  hard  to  get  along  with. 
And  I  having  the  ill-fortune,  as  I  thought,  to  come  into  the  world 
in  this  month  tried  my  utmost  to  behave  so  as  to  prove  the  al- 
manac a  liar.  But  "Old  Remmig"  threw  me  off  my  guard,  and 
that  yet,  on  my  birthday.  Was  it  a  wonder  that  I  did  just 
what  the  almanac  said  I  would?  This  event  fixed  itself  clearly 
and  indelibly  upon  the  tablet  of  memory.  And  poor  "Old 
Remmig"  helped  to  write  it  there,  of  whom  I  can  remember  no 
good  thing — naught  but  his  snorting  efforts  to  cram  more  snuff 
into  his  nostrils  than  there  was  room  for,  his  drunkenness,  his 
horrid  oaths,  and  his  incredible  yarns. 

The  old  cradle,  "a  little  black  box  on  runners,"  became  to 
him  in  after  years  a  kind  of  altar  through  its  precious  associa- 
tions with  his  mother.  The  old  grandfather's  clock  to  the  chil- 
dren was  the  first  great  wonder  in  the  house.  "How  proud  I 
was  when  I  was  first  able  to  tell  my  mother  what  time  it  was!" 

In  the  large  hallway  of  the  house  was  hanging  a  cage  of  turtle- 
doves whose  cooing  vocalized  for  the  home  the  spirit  of  harmony 
and  happiness  and  left  a  lasting  impress  on  all  who  entered 
there. 

We  will  stop  there  on  the  top  of  this  hill  in  the  old  lane,  in  the 
shade  of  this  locust  tree,  and  rest  a  few  minutes.  I  will  put  the 
hand-trunk  aside  of  the  fence.  From  a  boy  I  have  enjoyed  this 
outlook.  It  is  not  as  extensive  as  that  from  the  Bunker  Hill 
monument,  or  of  Eagle's  Peak,  near  Womelsdorf,  Pa.,  still  to 
me  it  is  extensive.  From  here  I  see  far  back  into  the  world  of 
my  boyhood.  You  see  its  horizon;  the  boundary  encircling  it 
is  Lancaster,  Chestnut  Hill,  and  elevations  towards  Millersville 
and  Turkey  Hill,  Conestoga  Centre,  Stumptown,  and  Willow 
Street.  Here,  at  this  fence  I  often  stood,  then  and  since,  look- 
ing musingly  over  this  little  world.  For  several  miles  around 
here  lived  our  neighbors.  Once  I  knew  them  all  and  they  all 
knew  me.     Since  then  many  have  died. 

The  old  barn!  How  new  it  looks,  and  yet  it  is  fifty  years  old. 
Better  than  your  Kinder  Gardens,  the  gymnasium,  or  boat 
racing,  is  the  barn  and  barnyard  to  the  farmer's  boy.  Here 
young  animal  life  appeals  to  his  sympathetic  nature.  Kittens, 
calves,  colts,  young  pigs,  pigeons,  goslings,  young  chickens  and 
lambs  he  cares  for  and  caresses  with  tender  affection.  Hungry 
as  he  gets,  he  would  rather  go  without  a  meal  than  that  any  of 


ancestry:   early  years  25 

them  should  suffer  want.  They  call  out  and  cultivate  certain 
humane  qualities — indeed,  these  irrational  little  animals  help  to 
mould  and  educate  the  coming  man.  Reader,  you  may  follow 
me  through  the  winding  ways  of  this  old  barn.  Just  as  it  used  to 
be.  There  the  calves  are  tied  to  the  little  trough,  right  back  of 
their  mothers,  in  the  cow  stable.  The  colt  stable  is  empty. 
The  young  pigeons  are  still  watching  in  their  cotes  for  the  return- 
ing mother  to  bring  them  a  feast.  These  "fodder  gangs"  call 
up  many  old  memories.  There  is  the  old  nail  above  the  door 
to  which  I  used  to  hang  the  lantern  when  almost  too  small  to 
reach  up.  For,  on  winter  mornings,  a  great  while  before  day, 
did  we  boys  quietly  go  after  our  work  here  in  feeding  the  cattle. 
Back  here  is  the  cross  gang  through  which  I  carried  many  an  arm- 
ful of  hay.  It  is  a  dark,  secluded  place,  even  in  day-time. 
There,  where  none  but  the  eyes  of  God  saw  me,  I  often  knelt 
down  with  my  hat  and  prayed.  On  account  of  its  retired  lo- 
cation I  used  it  as  a  "closet."  Ever  since,  my  mind  attaches  a 
certain  sacredness  to  this  dark  passage.  And  for  this  reason 
you  must  allow  me  to  kneel  down  in  prayer  for  a  few  moments. 
I  still  feel  that  the  God  of  my  boyhood  is  in  this  place.  It  has 
become  a  sort  of  Bethel  to  my  heart. 

There  is  the  "hay-hole,"  communicating  with  the  mow  above. 
I  must  climb  up,  just  as  in  the  days  of  old.  Somehow  I  cannot 
climb  up  so  nimbly  as  of  old.  With  the  agility  of  a  cat  could  I 
do  it  then.  Surely  I  am  larger  and  stronger  now,  but  the  limbs 
and  joints  are  no  longer  used  to  this  kind  of  work.  Still,  have  I 
not  done  it  well?  If  it  were  raining  I  would  climb  up  on  the 
hajonow,  lie  on  my  back  and  listen  to  the  pattering  of  the  rain 
on  the  roof,  as  we  did  in  the  days  of  yore. 

These  large  mows,  filled  with  hay  and  straw,  afforded  an  in- 
teresting field  for  exploration.  Great  was  the  joy  when  a  nest 
full  of  eggs  were  discovered.  In  search  of  these  the  most  fatigu- 
ing climbing  was  undergone.  And  many  a  hat  bottom  was 
broken  out  of  its  place  by  doing  service  as  an  egg  basket. 

Let  us  go  fishing.  Not  so  much  for  the  fish  as  for  the  walk. 
Here  under  this  white  oak  tree,  we  will  rest  a  little.  You  see  it 
stands  on  the  highest  point  of  this  hill,  "the  creek  hill,"  as  we 
used  to  call  it.  The  Little  Conestoga  winds  along  the  base  of  it. 
With  boyish  pride  I  led  many  a  playmate  to  this  spot,  to  show 
him  "the  highest  mountain"  in  this  part  of  the  world.  So  I 
thought  then.  I  find  now  that  it  is  only  a  hill,  and  not  very  high 
at  that.  Right  around  us  lies  the  hunting  ground  of  our  boy- 
hood. Down  there  is  a  ravine,  once  the  home  of  a  family  of 
woodchucks  (ground-hogs).  They  had  their  homes  in  holes  in 
the  earth.     During  school  or  working  time,  Saturday  afternoon 


26  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

was  given  us  for  pleasure  and  sport.  These  ravines  used  to  be 
a  resort  for  rabbits.  With  the  help  of  the  dogs  we  would  chase 
them  into  the  woodchuck  holes,  then  fill  the  hole  with  a  trap. 
Sooner  or  later  the  poor  rabbit  was  compelled  to  come  out,  when 
the  trap  would  catch  it  for  us.  Now  the  holes,  rabbits  and  wood- 
chucks  are  nearly  all  gone. 

How  pleasant  to  wind  along  this  shaded  creek!  You  see,  it 
is  not  large.  Here,  where  this  old  sycamore  tree  leans  over  the 
water,  used  to  be  our  bathing  place.  How  clean  and  well-mowed 
this  grassy  woodland  is!  The  cattle  do  this  work  as  well  as  a 
lawn  mower.  Let  us  examine  a  few  old  beech  trees  in  this  cor- 
ner of  the  woods.  For  more  than  fifty  years  their  smooth  bark 
tempted  the  ambitious  youths  of  the  neighborhood  to  carve 
their  names  on  them. 

On  the  smooth  rind  of  these  beech  trees  the  farmer  boys  of  our 
neighborhood  have  sought  an  immortality  of  name  by  their  rude 
carvings,  for  more  than  three-score  years.  The  oldest  dates 
have  been  well  nigh  grown  over.  Later  ones  are  still  clearly 
seen.  One  name  of  a  well  known  friend,  "S.  B.,  1837,"  has  out- 
lasted the  growth,  wear  and  weather  for  almost  forty  years. 

Yonder  is  the  coasting  hill,  adown  which,  in  coldest  days  and 
moonlight  nights,  our  rude  home-made  little  sled  bore  us  with 
great  speed.  Many  an  upset  did  we  have,  midway  down  its 
slopes,  such  as  now  would  skin  and  break  one's  older  limbs. 
Then  it  added  to  the  sport.  Under  yon  cedar  tree  was  a  small 
fish  pond,  whose  inmates  afforded  us  boys  a  world  of  amuse- 
ment. With  noiseless  steps  we  stole  to  the  bank,  and  watched 
their  playful  gambols,  now  poising  themselves  in  graceful  repose, 
then  darting  hither  and  thither,  ploughing  up  the  mud  to  hide 
themselves  from  view. 

The  first  pantaloons  and  the  first  ride  a-horseback  are  great 
events  in  the  life  of  a  farmer's  boy.  My  first  lessons  in  riding 
were  taken  on  old,  worn-out  horses.  Nothing  gives  farmer  boys 
inore  amusement  than  an  old  horse,  good-natured,  patient,  and 
kindly,  allowing  children  to  crawl  about  him  at  pleasure  without 
throwing  them  off.  "Old  Jin"  taught  me  the  A,  B,  C's  in  rid- 
ing. Far  back  as  memory  reaches  she  was  a  very  old  mare. 
Black  as  a  raven,  with  a  hairless  tail,  somewhat  short  of  breath 
and  weak-kneed.  She  was  the  mother  and  grandmother  of  a 
tribe  of  jet-black  horses,  which  did  faithful  service  on  our  farm 
for  many  years  thereafter. 

"Tom"  taught  us  to  drive  the  cart  to  the  mill.  Of  the  same 
color,  and  of  a  like  tail,  strong  in  limb  and  trusty.  How  proud 
a  boy  feels  when  he  holds  the  fines  for  the  first  time!  He  had 
a  way  of  laying  his  ears  back,  and  snapping  at  us,  when  teased. 


ancestry:   early  years  27 

Pulling  a  load  up  a  long  hill  set  him  wheezing  and  coughing. 
For  old  horses,  like  old  people,  do  not  retain  the  active  breath- 
ing of  their  younger  years.  Great  fun  would  it  afford  us  to  ride 
him  to  water  or  pasture.  His  hard  trotting  would  greatly  bounce 
the  juvenile  riders,  and  test  their  skill.  Very  nervous,  too,  did 
he  become,  and  somewhat  hard  of  hearing.  Of  which  afflictions 
the  mischievous  boys  sometimes  took  cruel  advantage.  The  re- 
port of  a  gun,  or  a  stone  thrown  against  the  barn  door  near  by, 
would  throw  him  on  his  knees  in  a  nervous  fright. 

One  moonlight  night  we  took  him  on  a  hill,  back  of  the  barn. 
One  of  the  men  had  a  gun  with  a  heavy  load  in  it.  Around  him 
stood  the  boys.  One  held  him,  the  other  shot  off  the  gun.  Poor 
"Tom"  fell  on  his  knees  as  if  a  ball  had  gone  through  his  heart. 

"Pete"  came  somewhat  later.  Lighter  and  lithe  of  limb,  but 
as  black  as  the  others.  He  had  more  refined  qualities,  and  was 
honored  with  the  lead  in  the  wagon.  Full  well  I  remember  with 
what  an  arched  neck  and  a  proud  swing  of  his  head,  champing  his 
bit,  he  would  trot  along  in  the  chaise  or  gig.  In  summer,  instead 
of  a  fly-net,  his  silver  mounted  harness  was  adorned  with  long 
branches  of  asparagus.  In  the  two-seated  gig  there  was  only 
room  for  father  and  mother,  and  little  me.  He  was  always 
ready  for  a  little  run  on  the  road.  An  attempt  of  other  horses 
to  pass  would  start  him.  He  would  lower  his  body  and  stretch 
his  limbs  to  their  utmost  capacity.  How  it  used  to  amuse  my 
father  and  frighten  his  little  boy!  In  harness  he  was  a  graceful 
trotter,  and  took  good  care  not  to  hurt  the  people  he  had  in 
charge.  My  first  lessons  in  church-going  are  associated  with 
Pete. 

In  his  old  age  he  taught  me  the  more  advanced  lessons  in  horse- 
back riding.  Unfortunately  for  him  we  boys  found  out  that  in 
spots  he  was  ticklish.  The  touch  of  the  hand  between  his  hips 
or  of  the  heels  at  his  flank  would  set  him  to  violent  kicking. 
High  in  the  air  would  he  fling  his  legs.  The  poor  old  horse  was 
much  annoyed  in  this  way,  and  vainly  tried  to  pitch  his  per- 
secutors off  his  back. 

Full  well  do  I  remember  the  spot,  where  the  song  of  the  katy- 
dids set  me  a  dreaming.  I  was  a  boy.  Sent  on  an  errand,  I 
returned  through  a  lonely  grove,  just  after  nightfall.  Ill  at 
ease,  through  boyish  fear,  with  hurrying  steps  I  hastened  home- 
ward. The  more  I  hurried,  the  louder  became  the  confused 
twitter  of  these  autumnal  insects.  Every  leaf,  in  every  tree, 
seemed  to  be  alive  with  fairies  shouting  after  me:  "Stop,  boy, 
stop  and  think  of  coming  days." 

By  the  side  of  a  tree  I  stood,  as  if  held  by  the  charm  of  some 
unseen  power.     How  those  myriads  of  Katys  preached  to  the 


28  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

boy,  until  he  forgot  his  fear,  and  the  darkness  seemed  as  the 
noonday.  They  set  me  dreaming  about  a  coming  hfe.  It  was 
not  all  a  dream.  As  I  walked  away,  to  betake  me  to  my  little 
bed,  I  wondered  whether  they  would  keep  up  this  universal  rev- 
elry all  night,  or  would  they  too  go  to  bed?  The  trees  have 
been  hewn  down  and  the  grove  has  become  a  plowed  field,  but 
the  spot  remains  sacred  to  the  memory  of  the  katydids. 

Few  incidents  of  childhood  do  we  remember  so  vividly  as  the 
sting  of  bees.  Did  we  not  rage  and  rush  to  and  fro,  boo-hooing 
with  boisterous  wrath,  rubbing  the  painful  red  spot  which  the 
malicious  little  animal  had  wounded. 

More  pleasant  was  his  recollection  of 

the  darkey  chimney-sweeps  perched  on  high,  rolling  out  their 
simple  melodies  heard  at  the  neighboring  farm  houses  for  miles 
round.  To  us  country  boys  the  sweeping  of  the  chimney  was  a 
sort  of  country  concert  in  mid-air,  which  always  secured  a  hearty 
welcome  to  the  dark-visaged  visitor.  While  his  song  lasted^ 
not  a  stick  of  wood  nor  pail  of  water  could  one  bring.  The  mo- 
ment he  began,  every  youngster  came  scampering  from  orchard, 
barnyard  and  wood-shed  to  enjoy  the  music. 

The  falling  stars  made  a  vivid  impression  on  him: 

It  was  early  on  a  Wednesday  morning,  November  13,  1833. 
About  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  it  was.  Two  little  boys,  my- 
self and  an  elder  brother,  slept  in  the  bed  of  a  cozy  room.  Two 
other  beds  happened  to  be  in  the  same  room — one  occupied  by 
another  brother,  the  other  by  a  hired  man.  The  last  two  beds 
had  already  been  vacated.  About  five  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
a  familiar  voice  called  up  toward  the  window  of  our  bed-room, 
"Boys,  quickly  get  up,  the  stars  are  falling  from  heaven."  With 
that,  another  voice,  in  tenderer  tones,  called  up  the  stairway, 
"Boys,  arise  in  haste,  the  stars  are  falling." 

Sweet  as  sleep  was  to  the  said  boys  at  that  early  hour  of  a 
frosty  November  morning,  they  leaped  to  the  window  to  see 
what  all  this  meant.  For  a  few  moments,  they  stood  and  looked 
at  myriads  of  "stars"  darting  through  the  air  and  falling  earth- 
ward, like  the  first  flakes  of  a  coming  snow  storm.  In  haste 
they  put  on  their  garments,  muttering  as  if  but  half  awake,  and 
in  dream-like  wonder  over  this  strange  sight.  Under  the  roof 
of  an  open  out-building  they  stood,  lest  these  falling  balls  of  fire 
might  strike  their  heads.  Thicker  and  faster  they  fell;  some 
darting  horizontally  through  the  air,  others  falling  to  within  a 
few  yards  of  the  earth  and  then  vanishing. 


ancestry:   early  years  29 

For  a  long  while,  the  two  boys  stood  beneath  the  roof  and 
watched  the  falling  stars  less  frightened  than  amused;  for  the 
morning  was  very  dark,  and  the  fiery  shower  far  exceeded  the 
brilliancy  of  any  display  of  rockets  or  fire-works  which  the  in- 
genuity of  man  can  produce.  That  day  they  went  to  school, 
as  usual.  One  can  well  imagine  that  there  was  little  studying 
done.  The  school  children  brought  wild  and  spectral  stories 
with  them.  Their  usual  games  were  omitted  during  recess.  At 
noon,  every  one  hastily  devoured  the  contents  of  his  basket,  so 
as  the  sooner  to  join  the  wonder-loving  and  half  frightened  crowd. 
Some  that  read  in  the  Testament,  turned  to  the  XXIV  Chapter 
of  Matthew.  There  we  read  it.  Was  the  Bible  the  Book  of 
God?  And  the  Bible  says  when  the  stars  shall  fall  the  end  is  at 
hand.  Now  our  tender  child  hearts  fluttered,  as  we  talked  over 
these  strange  things  on  our  homeward  way  in  the  evening.  Hap- 
pily, a  few  words  from  our  pious  mother  calmed  our  fears. 

For  a  few  days,  business  and  labor  to  some  extent  were  in- 
terrupted. Some  farmers  had  appointed  "butchering"  for  that 
day.  "We  shall  need  no  more  meat,  why  then  should  we  butch- 
er?" was  the  remark,  and  the  day's  work  was  not  done.  Many 
were  greatly  perplexed  about  housing  their  vegetables.  "Why 
fill  our  cellars,  if  the  Judgment  day  is  at  hand?"  Persons  with 
a  fussy,  superficial  piety  kept  running  from  house  to  house,  cry- 
ing "Lo  here!  and  lo  there!"  Those  of  earnest  faith  quietly 
went  about  their  business,  served  and  worshipped  God  as  they 
had  always  done,  knowing  that  "he  who  telleth  the  number  of 
the  stars,  and  calleth  them  by  their  names,  lifteth  up  the  meek, 
while  he  casteth  the  wicked  to  the  ground." 

Young  Bausman  had  his  boyish  ambitions;  one  was  to  drive 
the  stage  coach  from  Millersville  to  Lancaster,  and  another  was 
to  saw  a  fiddle  at  a  hoe-down.  As  a  youth  he  entered  with  keen 
zest  into  the  social  joys  of  country  life,  the  corn-husking  parties, 
the  apple-peeling  parties  and  the  old-fashioned  "Metzel  Soup," 
which  was  a  feast  of  visiting  friends  and  helpers  with  games  at 
the  close  of  a  day  of  the  tragic  work  of  butchering.  Pleasanter 
to  his  memory  were  the  old-fashioned  Christmas  customs  and 
the  "sweet  charity,"  in  which  he  was  privileged  to  have  part: 

Our  home  was  a  short  half  hour's  walk  from  an  inland  town  in 
Pennsylvania.  The  town  had  its  share  of  poor  folk,  widows  and 
orphans,  living  in  small  huts,  in  back  alleys,  and  along  the  out- 
skirts of  the  place.  In  summer-time  they  gleaned  in  the  harvest 
fields  around  this   home.     In  corn-husking  time  they  gleaned 


30  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

again.  Full  well  I  remember  these  godly  widows,  some  of  them 
bowed  down  with  age  and  care,  with  little  knapsacks  slung  to 
their  shoulders,  wherein  to  carry  their  harvest.  Early  in  the 
morning,  before  the  sun  had  melted  the  white  October  frost  from 
the  fields,  I  met  them  in  busy  quest  of  the  gleaner's  share.  Now 
and  then  a  kind-hearted  husker  would  intentionally  leave  an  ear 
or  two  hanging  in  the  way  of  Christ's  poor  ones,  knowing  well 
that  the  owner  of  the  field  would  be  pleased  to  see  her  bag  filling 
rapidly.  The  old  gleaners  were  told  to  house  their  gatherings 
in  the  wood  shed.  Afterwards  each  one's  share  went  to  her  door 
with  horse  and  cart.  One  of  the  boys  took  it  thither  for  the 
sake  of  the  infirm  widows  and  for  his  own  sake.  For  hereby  he 
was  taught  a  lesson  of  practical  charity.  "Fill  the  cart  with 
wood  and  unload  it  at  Granny  Weber's  door.  She  will  need  it 
this  coming  winter."  Thus  ordered  the  farmer.  Usually  there 
was  such  an  outgush  of  gratitude,  when  the  poor  souls  saw  the 
unloading  of  the  gifts,  such  a  heartsome  blessing  of  the  boy  and 
his  parents,  as  to  set  him  happily  musing  all  the  way  home  over 
the  blessedness  of  doing  good. 

The  livelong  winter  these  widows  plied  their  old  spinning 
wheels,  from  morning  till  night,  spinning  the  hemp,  flax  and  wool 
of  their  country  friends  and  knitting  stockings  for  the  children. 
Many  a  time  I  listened  to  the  hum  of  the  wheel,  and  wondered 
how  their  old  tired  feet  could  work  one  way  and  their  cautious 
hands  at  the  spool,  spindle  and  thread  another  way. 

It  was  the  week  before  Christmas.  A  busy  week  in  the  coun- 
try home,  for  then  "the  butchering"  had  to  be  done.  An  ox 
and  four  hogs  were  slaughtered.  The  second  day  before  Christ- 
mas the  cake  baking  was  done.  Large  tables  in  the  bake-house 
were  covered  with  cakes,  in  all  manner  of  forms — birds,  horses, 
hearts,  lambs,  stars,  all  carefully  spread  out  on  "paddy-pans." 
We  children,  meanwhile,  watched  the  progress  of  events,  burden- 
ing the  bakers  with  many  curious  questions.  A  great  mystery 
to  my  child-mind  w^as  the  large  bake-oven,  which  for  a  season 
seemed  to  devour  all  put  into  it.  I  peered  into  its  glowing  cav- 
ern and  watched  with  watering  mouth  the  nut-brown  cakes  which 
it  brought  forth. 

The  day  before  Christmas  was  the  "preparation  day."  The 
turkey  had  to  be  killed,  and  many  other  things  provided  for  the 
Christmas  dinner.  The  boys  were  again  sent  in  various  direc- 
tions, to  practice  "pure  and  undefiled  religion."  One  wagon  was 
closely  packed  ^dth  numerous  baskets  and  packages,  each  con- 
taining a  nicely  arranged  variety  of  gifts — meat,  sausages,  apples, 
cakes,  and,  perhaps,  articles  of  clothing.  Ere  the  boy  started, 
the  loving  heart  that  had  devised  all  these  pleasure-giving  pack- 


ancestry:   early  years  31 

ages,  standing  aside  of  the  wagon,  repeated  her  instructions: 
"Be  careful  that  you  make  no  mistakes.  This  is  for  Mrs.  Snow, 
yonder  long  basket  for  Mrs.  Harris,  that  bag  for  Mrs.  Weber, 
and  this  round  basket  for  the  pastor,"  whose  basket  contained, 
among  other  things,  a  large  turkey.  From  house  to  house  drove 
the  boy,  leaving  the  appropriate  gift  at  each,  and  receiving  in 
return  such  a  blessing  from  the  fatherless  and  widows  as  are 
worth  more  than  gold  and  silver.  The  little  old  widow  Weber 
rubbed  her  hands,  and  laughed  like  an  overjoyed  child.  Indeed, 
she  had  reached  her  second  childhood.  The  pastor — well,  of 
course  he  had  expected  all,  but  was  none  the  less  grateful.  Half 
the  thankful  messages  sent  to  the  parents  by  the  receivers,  the 
boy  could  not  remember.  Only  this  much,  that  they  were  very 
happy. 

Scarcely  had  this  wagon  left  the  home  when  another  of  the 
boys,  mounted  on  a  gray  pony,  with  large  saddle-bags  and  a 
basket,  tightly  packed,  was  started  on  a  visiting  tour  among 
country  widows  in  the  neighborhood.  No  less  thankful  were 
these  than  their  poor  sisters  in  the  town.  Indeed,  to  their  dying 
day  they  remembered  and  blessed  the  boys  that  brought  them 
gifts — which  blessing  some  of  the  said  boys,  now  that  they  are 
men,  do  greatly  prize. 

It  was  a  stormy  Christmas  Eve.  The  sleet  rattled  against  the 
windows.  Around  the  large  "ten-plate"  stove,  filled  with  hick- 
ory logs,  sat  the  family.  The  boys  repeating  their  reports  of 
their  merciful  errands  to  the  widows,  the  parents  telling  the  chil- 
dren how  these  pious  poor  people  would,  on  this  stormy  night, 
pray  the  dear  Christ-Child  to  bless  them  in  their  little  beds. 
Then  followed  many  questions  from  the  little  ones — whether 
Mrs.  Weber  had  always  been  poor,  whether  Mrs.  Harris  had  any 
little  children,  and  whether  Christkindel  would  bring  them  any- 
thing that  night. 

There  was  no  Christmas  tree.  Then,  as  now,  this  tree  was 
more  of  a  town  than  country  growth.  The  smaller  children 
were  still  allowed  to  believe  in  a  real  bodily  Christkindel.  It 
would  surely  come  that  night.  Where  will  mother  set  the  bask- 
ets this  time?  In  a  dark  front  room— the  parlor  becomes  the 
reception  room  of  the  kind  heavenly  visitor.  Two  bread  baskets 
with  a  clean  white  cloth  spread  in  them,  are  placed  on  chairs. 
The  little  innocents,  half-frightened,  hold  on  to  the  mother's 
dress,  as  they  follow  her  into  the  parlor,  and  watch  the  arranging 
of  the  baskets.  Many  puzzling  little  troubles  they  have.  When 
will  it  come?  Where  will  it  get  in?  Ought  not  the  front  door  be 
left  open?  Will  the  baskets  be  large  enough?  How  heavenly 
this  unsuspecting  confiding  trust! 


32  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

What  a  fearful  fuss  the  dogs  are  making!  "Watch"  runs  bark- 
ing about  the  house,  as  if  he  would  tear  some  one  to  pieces. 

Hist!     Somebody's  knocking. 

"Come  in,"  says  father.  And  in  they  come,  such  as  they  are. 
A  half  dozen  jovial  fellows,  led  by  a  so-called  Belsnickel. 

"O  ma!"  scream  a  group  of  us  smaller  children,  and  seize 
hold  of  her  dress,  like  an  affrighted  brood  rush  under  the  wings 
of  the  mother  hen  when  the  hawk  is  after  them.  Belsnickel 
may  either  mean  a  fur-clad  Nicholas,  or  a  flogging  Nicholas.  In 
the  wintry  Christmas  nights,  he  is  usually  robed  in  furs,  and 
carries  his  whip  with  him. 

Our  Belsnickel  is,  most  likely,  some  well-known  neighbor 
friend.  Under  his  ugly  mask  (Schnarraffensgesicht),  and  an 
outlandish  dress,  such  as  no  child  ever  saw  mortal  wear  before, 
no  one  can  tell  who  he  is.  We  children  tremble  as  in  the  presence 
of  an  unearthly  being.  Really,  the  Nickel  tries  to  be  pleasant, 
jabbers  in  some  unknown  tongue,  and  takes  a  few  chestnuts  and 
candies  out  of  his  vast  bundle  on  his  back,  and  throws  them  on 
the  floor  for  the  larger  boys.  One  after  another  shyly  picks  up  a 
gift.  Among  these  older  boys  is  a  self-willed  fellow,  who  some- 
times behaves  rudely.  Whenever  he  picks  up  something.  Nickel 
thwacks  a  long  whip  across  his  back — across  his  only.  Where- 
upon the  little  ones  scream  and  hold  on  to  their  mamma  with  a 
firm  grip;  and  the  older  ones  laugh  aloud.  The  guilty  boy  puts 
his  hand  where  the  whip  has  made  an  impression.  Again  the 
unknown  being  puts  his  working  hand  into  the  bag  and  scatters 
gifts,  and  again  cracks  his  whip  on  the  bad  boy.  How  does  this 
ugly  man  know  who  has  been  naughty? 

I  began  my  schooldays  in  a  small  one  story  frame  building 
which  stood  on  the  edge  of  our  farm  where  two  roads  met.  A 
part  of  the  house  was  occupied  by  a  family;  one  room  about 
ten  by  twenty  feet  in  size  was  used  for  the  school.  The  benches 
had  no  backs;  the  few  small  windows  furnished  too  httle  light 
and  the  low  ceiling  allowed  too  little  healthy  air. 

It  was  this  little  building  which  later  was  conveyed  to  the  edge 
of  the  Franklin  and  Marshall  College  grounds.  Seeing  it  from 
a  college  window  while  on  duty  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Visitors  of  the  Seminary,  Dr.  Bausman's  memory  was  set  going 
and  the  result  was  a  most  delightful  reminiscent  article  in  the 
Guardian  on  "The  History  of  a  School  House:" 

The  school  master's  name  was  Schwartz,  who  was  revered  by 
us  as  one  of  the  great  men  of  the  world.     He  boarded  around 


ancestry:    early  years  33 

among  the  farmers,  coming  and  going  as  freely  as  the  children  of 
the  family.  He  was  a  great  tea  drinker.  When  the  busy  servant 
girl  waiting  on  the  table  could  not  promptly  fill  his  cup,  he  would 
thump  the  table  and  cry  out  before  us  all,  "Tea,  tea,  TEA, 
Betz."  This  explosion  gave  us  little  folks  at  the  table  great 
trouble  to  keep  straight  and  sober  faces. 

The  small  school  room  was  packed  with  children.  The  im- 
pure air  produced  drowsiness  especially  in  the  school  master. 
Many  a  nap  he  took  leaning  back  in  his  chair,  behind  his  little 
desk, — going  to  sleep  in  the  presence  of  his  company.  At  first, 
the  closing  of  his  eyes  was  the  signal  for  a  general  row  among  the 
scholars ;  but  we  soon  learned  to  our  dismay  that  Master  Schwartz 
was  given  to  thinking  with  his  eyes  closed.  Peeping  through 
his  half  opened  eyes  he  would  discover  the  transgressors  and  lay 
on  the  rod  lustily.  Our  master  had  a  great  fondness  for  flogging 
boys.  The  slightest  movement  of  the  feet  or  tongue  brought 
the  rod  on  one's  back.  Fortunately  he  rarely  hurt  anyone.  So 
lightly  and  so  often  came  the  thwack,  that  we  sometimes  hardly 
knew  whether  he  intended  to  fondle  or  flog  us. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  street  was  the  blacksmith  shop  of  my 
uncle,  Jacob  Peters.  His  furnace  was  the  daily  wonder  of  us 
scholars.  Between  school-hours  he  always  had  a  group  of  timid 
spectators  around  the  door,  watching  with  childish  curiosity  the 
great  bellows  make  the  fire  on  the  hearth  roar,  and  when  he 
drew  the  heated  iron  there  was  a  rush  for  the  street  to  escape 
the  large  sparks  his  strokes  sent  spitting  around,  as  he  hammered 
it  out  on  the  anvil  into  horseshoes,  nails  and  tires  for  wagon 
wheels. 

Full  well  I  remember  one  of  the  proud  days  of  this  school.  In 
the  morning,  uncle  called  me  to  the  door  of  the  blacksmith  shop: 

"I  will  give  you  a  cent,  this  evening,  if  you  will  not  get  a 
whipping  today." 

''Will  you,  uncle?" 

"Yes,  take  my  word  for  it." 

I  triumphed.  Not  once  did  the  master  flog  me  that  day.  I 
demanded  the  reward,  and  got  it.  No  penny  gave  me  greater 
pride  than  that.     But  it  required  great  exertion  to  get  it. 

Withal  Schoolmaster  Schwartz  was  a  good  teacher.  Among 
other  lessons  he  made  us  commit  hymns  to  memory.  A  pleasing 
scene  occurs  to  my  memory,  where  my  brother  and  I  spent  hours 
by  ourselves  in  a  certain  room  and  studied  our  hymns  by  the 
light  of  the  tallow  candle.  How  the  one  found  it  so  easy  a  task 
and  the  other  so  hard.  Many  a  choice  hymn  such  as  "When 
all  thy  mercies,  O,  my  God;"  "From  all  that  dwell  below  the 
skies;"  "Jesus  shall  reign  where'r  the  sun;"  "Alas,  and  did  my 
3 


34  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

Saviour  bleed,"  were  treasured  up  in  the  memory,  and  there 
they  remain  to  this  day. 

These  hymns  we  were  taught  to  sing.  Often  the  tediousness 
of  school  hours  was  relieved  by  singing.  I  served  as  the  juvenile 
leader  of  song.  That  was  one  of  my  child  honors.  After  all 
had  been  duly  arranged  on  certain  benches,  and  the  hymn  an- 
nounced, the  master  called  on  me  to  begin,  the  rest  joining  in  the 
song.  Often  as  I  repeat  or  help  to  sing  one  of  these  hymns,  it 
calls  up  the  memory  of  Schoolmaster  Schwartz. 

John  Shissler  was  our  second  schoolmaster.  He  could  hardly 
compare,  in  teaching  ability,  with  the  average  Pemisjdvania 
teacher  of  to-day.  For  his  day  he  was  esteemed  as  a  good  school- 
master. When  I  learned  to  know  and  obey  him  his  head  had 
turned  prematurely  gray,  and  now  and  then  his  face  turned  un- 
naturally red.  The  old  brick  school-house  stood  a  half  a  mile 
from  the  village,  on  the  edge  of  a  large  tract  of  woodland.  The 
trees  have  been  cut  down,  and  the  spot  where  the  school-house 
stood  is  now  a  part  of  a  cultivated  field.  Still,  our  childhood 
memories  hold  tenaciously  to  the  early  impressions.  For  it  the 
tall  forest  trees  and  the  school-house  live  on.  Many  a  merry 
game  did  those  trees  witness.  What  is  now  called  "base  ball," 
we  played  then,  and  just  as  well  as  they  do  now,  only  we  did  not 
play  it  on  Sunday  as  many  now  do.  We  pitched  quoits,  played 
corner  ball  and  shinny  and  build  houses  of  dry  leaves, — all 
this  we  did  on  a  playground  of  ten  or  fifteen  acres.  Instead  of 
ringing  a  little  bell  to  call  us  to  school,  the  teacher  simply  came 
to  the  door  and  called  "Books."  Usually,  it  was  a  very  unwel- 
come call,  in  the  height  of  our  fun  and  frolic. 

I  have  often  wished  that  some  good  painter  would  give  us  a 
graphic  and  true  picture  of  the  children  of  an  old-time  country 
school  at  dinner.  Very  few  could  go  home  for  their  dinners. 
Imagine  from  fifty  to  a  hundred  children  in  a  small  room.  Hav- 
ing for  an  hour  past  allowed  their  imaginations  to  rummage 
through  their  well  stored  baskets,  their  appetites  meanwhile  are 
whetted  to  their  keenest  edge.  At  length  comes  the  welcome  sig- 
nal. Each  party  groups  around  its  basket,  spread  on  the  narrow 
bench  or  table.  Cold  meat,  sausage,  bread,  carefully  spread, 
cakes,  pies,  etc.,  are  relished  with  a  zest  such  as  one  never  has  in 
later  life.  A  little  phial  of  molasses  in  the  basket  was  considered 
a  luxury,  not  so  much  on  account  of  spreading  the  contents  on 
the  bread,  as  for  the  gleanings  of  the  phial.  The  greatest  kind- 
ness a  scholar  could  show  a  comrade  was  to  let  him  make  and 
drink  molasses  water  from  his  empty  phial.  I  can  still  see  them, 
with  head  flung  back,  laboring  to  suck  the  delicious  liquid  through 
the  narrow  neck  of  the  bottle.     Many  older  and  wiser  people 


ancestry:   early  years  35 

could  learn  a  useful  lesson  from  those  school  children  at  table  in 
a  country  school  house.  Little  marks  of  kindness  are  bestowed. 
Here  and  there  you  see  one  leaning  across  the  table,  to  share 
her  little  delicacy  with  a  less-favored  playmate.  If  it  cannot 
be  molasses-water,  it  is  a  piece  of  pie,  ginger  cake,  or  a  "pepper- 
nut."  Their  table  abounds  with  chatty  conversation  and  mirth- 
ful laughter,  all  of  which  is  healthful  for  body  and  spirit.  Save 
during  very  unpleasant  weather,  the  schoolmaster  would  take 
his  dinner  home,  leaving  the  scholars  to  have  it  their  own  way. 
It  was  a  noisy  scene,  but  not  a  sinful  noise.  A  noise  such  as  the 
long  line  of  swallows  have  on  the  barn  tops,  in  the  pleasant  days 
of  June. 

Schoolmaster  Shissler's  punishments  were  inflicted  by  the  use 
of  the  rod,  the  ruler  and  a  pair  of  leathern  spectacles.  The  most 
painful  was  whipping  the  palm  of  the  offender's  hand  with  the 
flat  ruler.  The  greatest  consternation  was  produced  by  the 
spectacles.  For  a  while  he  would  allow  the  confusion  to  reign, 
pretending  to  be  deeply  engaged  in  study.  At  length  he  threw 
the  spectacles  at  one  of  the  noisiest,  who  had  to  bring  them  to 
his  desk,  put  them  on  and  stand  up  and  face  the  school  for  a 
specified  time.  Vividly  I  remember  with  what  a  thrill  of  horror 
I  would  hear  the  piece  of  leather  whizzing  over  our  heads,  not 
certain  at  first  but  that  it  might  be  intended  for  me.  It  was 
the  severest  punishment  inflicted.  It  made  the  offender  look 
Hke  a  monkey.  In  spite  of  one's  pity,  you  could  not  help  but 
laugh  at  the  poor  culprit,  and  for  the  life  of  him  he  himself  could 
not  laugh.  Few  things  are  so  mortifying  as  to  be  laughed  at 
when  one  can  not  join  in  the  laugh.  My  word  for  it,  so  far  as  I 
can  remember,  I  never  wore  those  spectacles. 

He  carried  a  small  phial  containing  a  mysterious  liquid.  A 
little  stick  of  wood,  dipped  into  this  would  at  once  ignite;  with 
this  he  lighted  his  cigar  and  the  stove  kindling  in  winter  time. 
The  little  bottle  seemed  to  us  scholars  possessed  of  magical 
properties,  for  then  people  knew  nothing  of  lucifer  matches. 
The  moment  he  opened  his  bottle  the  scholars  watched  the  per- 
formance with  bated  breath.  All  the  writing  was  done  with 
quills,  for  nothing  was  then  known  of  steel  or  gold  pens.  The 
mending  of  these  consumed  much  of  his  time. 

On  the  day  before  Christmas  some  country  schoolmasters 
were  locked  out  of  their  castles  by  the  scholars,  and  kept  out  till 
they  would  consent  to  furnish  the  whole  school  with  Christmas 
presents.  We  had  often  heard  how  gloriously  the  scholars  of 
other  schools  had  fared  by  this  plan.  Unfortunately,  our  master 
was  a  Squire.  And  a  Squire,  some  thought,  might  take  us  right 
off  to  prison,  if  we  provoked  him  in  this  way.     One  Christmas 


36  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

season,  a  few  brave  boys  led  the  way,  and  the  rest  followed.  In 
the  morning  the  scholars  took  possession  of  the  school  house. 
The  door  was  locked  and  if  I  remember  rightly,  the  shutters,  too. 
How  some  trembled  like  an  aspen  leaf  with  fright!  Others 
peeped  through  the  key-hole  and  listened  for  the  master's  coming 
tread.  We  had  reason  to  tremble.  Our  master  was  distant  to 
his  scholars;  besides,  he  did  not  seem  to  relish  a  joke  as  some 
people  do.  He  might  just  that  morning  be  in  one  of  his  ill  humors. 
You  may  smile  at  the  scene,  but  I  question  whether  the  people 
of  besieged  Troy,  or  those  of  Vicksburg,  felt  the  seriousness  of 
their  situation  more  keenly  than  did  that  group  of  children  in  a 
besieged  country  school  house. 

At  length  we  heard  his  tread.  "Hush,"  was  whispered  round. 
Silent  as  the  grave  was  the  school,  for  once.  Such  order  the 
master  perhaps  never  produced  before.  In  vain  he  tried  to  open 
the  barred  door.  He  commanded  us  to  open.  To  disobey  his 
command  usually  brought  a  storm  about  our  ears.  Such  an  act 
of  disobedience,  refusing  to  let  him  enter  his  own  school  house, 
was  a  daring  feat.  A  paper  was  slipped  out  under  the  door, 
solemnly  setting  forth  our  demands — candies,  cakes,  nuts  and  the 
little  nick-nacks  that  make  up  the  ordinary  Christmas  presents 
of  country  children.  It  was  a  fearful  suspense,  this  deliberation 
of  the  schoolmaster  on  this  stately  proposition.  What  could  we 
do  if  he  should  fly  into  a  passion,  force  open,  and  lay  about  him 
with  the  rod!  There  was  no  way  of  retreat  left  open,  no  open 
windows  through  which  to  leap  out.  Ah,  dear  reader,  to  children 
such  a  performance  has  all  the  momentous  importance  which 
historic  events  have  to  older  people.  At  length  the  master  pro- 
posed to  surrender,  upon  our  terms,  as  specified  in  the  paper. 
The  door  was  opened.  He  entered  with  a  smile  and  we  hardly 
knew  whether  to  smile  or  to  scream  from  fear,  lest  after  all  he 
might  visit  us  with  dire  punishment.  He  ordered  us  to  our 
seats,  wrote  a  note  containing  a  list  of  the  articles  promised  and 
sent  a  few  of  the  larger  boys  to  the  village  to  buy  and  bring  them. 
Studying  was  impossible  during  their  absence.  The  joy  was  too 
tumultuous  to  be  bottled  up  even  for  an  hour.  And  the  kind- 
hearted  schoolmaster  was  as  mirthful  as  we.  At  length  the 
boys  came,  with  great  baskets,  full  of  spoils  of  our  victory.  Each 
one  got  a  nice  Christmas  present.  Never  before  had  our  master 
seemed  to  us  such  a  good  man.  For  months  this  great  siege  in 
our  schoolhouse,  and  the  grand  victory  of  the  besieged,  was  the 
daily  topic  of  talk  among  the  scholars.  And  in  all  the  country 
round  about,  it  was  soon  noised  abroad  that  the  Squire  had 
been  locked  out  by  his  own  school.  And  the  scholars,  even  the 
most  timid  and  worst  frightened,  shared  the  glory  and  renown 
of  the  victory. 


ancestry:   early  years  37 

Our  schools  in  Lancaster  were  of  a  better  class.  "Billy  Reed, " 
a  small,  somewhat  quick  tempered  man,  with  crippled  feet,  was  a 
marked  improvement.  He  had  a  galvanic  battery,  which  was 
a  great  mystery  to  us  boys.  One  day  he  operated  on  us.  With 
joined  hands  we  were  drawn  up  in  a  line.  The  first  boy  was  in 
touch  with  the  instrument,  the  last  one  held  the  tail  of  a  dog. 
The  violent  shock  sent  the  howling  animal  out  the  door  into  the 
street,  to  the  great  amusement  of  the  boys. 

A  Mr.  Fetter  and  his  wife  taught  the  parochial  school  of  the 
First  Reformed  Church.  He  served  both  as  organist  and  school 
master.  Here  we  attended  school  for  several  winters.  He  was 
a  kind,  conscientious  teacher,  who  strove  by  his  exemplary  charac- 
ter as  well  as  by  his  instructions  to  advance  his  pupils.  We 
usually  went  to  school  from  6  to  8  months  in  a  year.  The  sum- 
mers were  given  to  farm  work. 

"Tommy  Yarrel"  taught  in  the  school  house  at  Chestnut  and 
Prince  Streets.  The  building  is  still  used  as  a  school  house.  He 
was  considered  one  of  the  best  teachers  of  the  city:  a  man  of 
stately  bearing,  gray-headed,  dressed  in  faultless  style,  always 
in  black,  with  a  broad  white  necktie.  He  was  largely  built,  of  a 
ruddy  complexion,  always  grave,  sometimes  somewhat  abrupt 
and  strenuous  in  demanding  order;  in  appearance  not  unlike  a 
dignified  clerg>Tnan  or  bishop  of  the  old  school.  Himself  child- 
less, indeed  unmarried,  his  long  experience  enabled  him  to  under- 
stand and  help  young  people  to  lay  the  foundation  of  character. 

In  the  First  Reformed  Church  of  Lancaster  all  of  us  children 
were  baptized  and  confirmed.  The  first  pastor  I  can  remember 
was  Father  Henry  Hoffmeier,  grandfather  of  the  late  Dr.  J.  H. 
A.  Bomberger,  then  an  old  man  with  furrowed  face  and  brow. 
He  baptized  me.  He  could  preach  only  in  the  German  language. 
After  him  services  in  both  languages  began  to  be  held.  As  usual 
in  such  cases  the  transition  from  German  to  English  caused  un- 
pleasant disturbances  among  the  people. 

In  1840,  I  and  brother  Philip  were  sent  to  instruction  in  the 
Catechism.  The  Rev.  Geo.  W.  Glessner  was  our  pastor.  He 
was  a  man  small  of  body,  but  he  had  a  heart  warm  with  the  love 
of  Christ.  He  was  intensely  earnest  in  his  catechetical  instruc- 
tions. In  applying  the  lessons  he  would  often  weep.  He  was  a 
very  impressive  preacher  and  his  life  abounded  in  good  works. 
He  was  my  spiritual  father.  We  committed  the  German  Cate- 
chism and  I  was  confirmed  with  his  first  class  of  Catechumens. 
The  whole  confirmation  scene  is  still  vividly  pictured  in  my  mem- 
ory. I  still  remember  how  as  I  and  my  brother  stood  side  by  side 
before  the  altar,  while  the  pastor  was  reading  the  confirmation 
form  and  I  was  mentally  praying,  a  sudden  fainting  sensation 
seized  me  and  for  a  few  moments  I  was  unconscious.     Although 


38  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

fearful  that  I  might  sink  to  the  floor,  the  Lord  held  me  up.  At 
our  first  communion  our  pastor  had  the  Rev.  Mr.  Schmaltz  from 
Frederick,  Md.,  to  assist  him.  As  the  communicants  were  turn- 
ing away  from  the  communion  altar,  the  visiting  minister  shook 
hands  with  each  one.  As  he  held  my  hand,  he  said,  "Will  you 
promise  me  one  thing?  When  you  get  home,  go  into  a  room  by 
yourself,  kneel  down  and  pray  God  to  help  you  to  become  a  good, 
useful  man."  I  promised  him  that  I  would.  I  still  remember  a 
Ixigh  wooden  chest  in  a  certain  room  at  which  I  knelt  and  fervent- 
ly prayed,  as  he  told  me  to  do.  I  never  met  the  good  man  there- 
after to  thank  him  for  that  personal  challenge  at  my  first  com- 
munion, God  knows  how  much  it  had  to  do  in  determining  my 
subsequent  life. 

The  thoughtful  youth  was  indehbly  impressed  by  the  people 
and  happenings  around  him: 

When  a  boy  we  had  a  hired  man  in  our  family,  good  Michael 
Sheridan,  an  Irish  Catholic.  He  worked  hard  and  faithfully. 
He  told  us  pleasant  stories  as  we  followed  him  in  his  work  and  had 
an  eye  on  our  boyish  habits  with  an  affection  and  a  pride  that 
was  pleasing  to  behold.  He  slept  in  the  same  room  wdth  us 
boys.  There  were  three  beds  in  the  room.  In  the  one  nearest 
to  his,  I  and  my  brother  slept.  Among  my  many  pleasing  mem- 
ories of  this  hard-working  Irishman  none  impressed  itself  so 
vividly  on  my  mind  as  his  fixed  habit  of  prayer.  No  matter 
how  tired  he  was  nor  what  was  going  on  in  the  bed  room,  he 
never  went  to  bed  without  first  kneeling  down  at  his  bed  and 
praying.  He  prayed  long  and  in  a  half  audible  whisper.  Stran- 
gers might  enter  the  room,  but  he  never  seemed  to  be  in  the  least 
disturbed.  As  soon  as  we  heard  his  devotional  whispers,  our 
voices  were  hushed.  He  never  urged  us  to  pray,  but  when  he 
knelt  down,  all  the  rest  of  us  felt  that  we  ought  to  pray  too. 

In  the  country  one's  neighbors  are  locally  further  off,  but  in 
sympathy  they  are  nearer  together  than  those  in  cities.  A  case 
of  sickness  or  death  affects  and  afflicts  aU  the  country  round 
about.  Without  banding  together  in  secret  orders,  the  neigh- 
bors of  our  boyhood  home  were  in  the  habit  of  visiting  the  sick 
and  bereaved;  even  the  younger  members  of  the  family  would 
sit  up  at  nights,  with  their  sick  and  dead  neighbors.  Well  do  I 
remember,  when  a  half-gro^vn  youth,  how  I  sat  with  an  aged 
man  of  God,  through  long  winter  nights,  Andreas  Kaufman 
had  for  many  years  been  a  Mennonite  minister.  Book  learning 
had  he  none;  indeed  no  other  kind  of  learning.  He  knew  his  old 
German  Bible  to  be  true,  and  by  some  effort  could  read  it.     As 


ancestry:   early  years  39 

for  preaching  at  the  Mennonite  meeting,  he  was  a  very  weak 
vessel.  Yet  everybody  heard  him  gladly,  because  all  knew  him 
to  be  a  good  man. 

Though  a  weak  expounder  of  God's  word,  he  was  a  model 
Christian,  just  and  merciful  to  man  and  beast.  In  all  the  coun- 
try round  about,  there  was  no  better  neighbor,  no  man  more  in- 
offensive, meek  and  fruitful  in  kind  wishes  and  works  than  he. 
In  a  certain  autumn,  when  the  leaves  were  fading  and  falling, 
the  good  old  man  felt  signs  of  his  approaching  end.  For  months 
he  patiently  lay  on  a  bed  of  pain.  It  fell  to  my  lot  to  watch 
with  him  on  certain  nights.  At  first,  the  nights  seemed  very 
long.  As  the  tedious  leaden  hours  dragged  their  slow  length 
along,  I  heard  no  sound  but  the  heavy  breathing  of  my  aged 
friend,  the  crackhng  of  the  burning  wood  in  the  stove,  and  the 
slow  steady  tick  of  the  tall  old  clock  in  the  corner  of  the  room. 
Sometimes  the  winter's  storm  would  blow  the  snow  and  sleet 
against  the  windows,  as  an  accompaniment  to  the  sad  sounds. 
Very  often  some  one  would  relieve  me  towards  morning.  Cozily 
buried  in  a  great  feather  bed,  under  the  roof,  at  the  head  of  the 
narrow  uncarpeted  stairs,  I  slept  sweetly  for  a  few  hours,  in  spite 
of  the  howling  of  the  storm. 

Many  a  grateful  word  did  the  old  man  speak  to  me  during  those 
wakeful  nights.  He  was  as  confiding  and  simple  as  a  child,  and 
had  much  of  its  innocence. 

It  was  a  strange  and  not  unpleasant  schooling  for  me,  this 
waking  with  Andreas  Kaufman,  and  listening  to  his  prayers, 
sighs  and  words  of  calm  and  sure  hope.  Though  a  stirring  youth, 
I  learned  to  sit  in  solitary  silence  during  those  long  hours,  as 
patiently  as  a  mother  wakes  by  her  sick  child.  Indeed  I  liked 
it.  When  my  turn  came  I  felt  glad.  Looking  back  from  the 
present  to  that  waking  experience  I  can  see  better  than  I  could 
then,  how  my  communion  with  the  old  preacher,  and  bestowing 
an  occasional  night  of  kindness  and  sympathy  upon  him,  helped 
to  cure  me  of  a  selfish  wordly  spirit.  Going  home  across  the 
fields  in  the  cold  dawn  of  day,  I  had  kind  thoughts  of  him  and  of 
all  I  knew,  and  the  way  seemed  short,  and  heaven  not  far  olf. 
Now  I  see  what  good  lessons  I  learned  from  those  night  watches. 
Among  his  last  words  was  his  dying  blessing  upon  his  youthful 
friend,  for  watching  with  kind  sympathy  at  his  sick  and  djdng 
bed.  And  after  I  became  a  man,  his  aged  widow  continued  to 
bless  the  boy  that  spent  the  night-watches  with  her  sainted 
Andreas.  And  this  patriarchal  blessing  I  felt  resting  on  me 
with  a  mysterious  power.  I  still  think  there  was  something  in 
it. 


40  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

In  seeking  for  the  formative  influences  in  the  early  life  of  Ben- 
jamin Bausman,  we  must  take  due  account  of  the  Mennonites. 
Numerically,  they  are  strong  in  Lancaster  County,  and  a  pious, 
godly  people  they  are,  simple  in  their  habits,  eschewing  the 
fashions  and  allurements  of  the  world,  kindly  neighbors  and 
rarely  appearing  in  the  law  courts.  The  Bausman  home  was 
surrounded  by  these  quiet,  sturdy  families.  The  Bausmans 
often  went  to  their  services  in  the  nearby  meeting  house,  and 
Mennonite  ministers  were  present  at  and  had  part  in  the  funeral 
services  of  both  the  father  and  mother  of  Dr.  Bausman.  The 
social  atmosphere  of  the  home  was  that  of  these  ''plain  people." 
Dr.  Bausman's  only  sister  married  a  Mennonite  and  some  time 
later  went  with  him  to  the  Mennonite  Church.  But  two  of  his 
brothers  remained  single  and  the  others  married  women  of  Men- 
nonite families.  These  wives  all  came  with  their  husbands  to 
the  Reformed  Church,  but  retained  for  the  most  part  the  sweet 
and  simple  garb  of  their  mothers.  Dr.  Bausman,  by  taste  and 
education,  was  for  dignity,  order  and  the  artistic  in  life  and 
worship,  but  he  always  glorified  the  homely  virtues,  preached  and 
practiced  a  simple-hearted  piety,  kept  his  heart  tender  toward 
those  humble  in  station,  and  always  insisted  that  his  church  ser- 
vices must  be  of  such  a  nature  that  the  most  unlettered  could 
appreciate  and  enter  into  them  heartily.  The  Mennonite  sur- 
roundings of  his  early  years  left  upon  him  a  molding  and  lasting 
impress. 

We  come  now  to  "the  turning  point"  in  Benjamin  Bausman's 
life,  a  period  of  pain  and  anxiety,  of  doubts  and  heart-searchings, 
which  threw  him  back  on  his  God.  When  he  had  worked  him- 
self into  the  clear  as  to  his  life-work,  there  was  no  more  occasion 
to  doubt  of  it.  Let  him  tell  his  own  story  of  his  "Choice  of  a 
Profession,"  as  he  wrote  in  the  Guardian  the  first  year  of  his 
editorship.  It  is  moreover,  a  sample  of  his  best  writing.  After 
sketching  briefly  the  history  of  the  family  to  the  point  of  his 
father's  retirement  from  the  active  work  of  farming,  he  proceeds : 

By  and  by  the  sons  worked  the  farm — and  worked  it  well. 
The  father  by  this  time  increased  his  estate.  As  each  son  in 
turn  reached  a  certain  age,  he  was  started  on  a  farm  of  his  own, 


BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 
AT    ABOUT    20 


ancestry:   early  years  41 

and  a  younger  one  took  his  post  on  the  old  "place."  Although 
they  had  never  been  told  so,  this  system  of  promotion  made  the 
impression  that  they  were  all  destined  to  be  farmers.  One  after 
the  other  stepped  out  of  the  dear  old  home,  and  started  in  life. 
The  transition  was  easy.  For  they  had  been  trained  to  this 
pursuit.  It  was  the  sphere  of  their  choice.  For  it  they  possessed 
special  aptitudes,  and  for  no  other.  For  each  to  have  a  farm 
was  a  tempting  prospect,  which  few  would  be  willing  to  lose. 

One,  a  younger  son,  drifted  towards  this  destination,  with 
serious  misgivings.  He  had  gone  to  school  more  than  the  rest. 
His  studies  kindled  in  him  a  thirst  for  knowledge,  and  a  growing 
distaste  for  farming.  Not  that  he  had  any  dislike  for  work,  or 
a  lack  of  respect  for  his  father's  occupation.  But  his  spirit 
yearned  for  a  wider  and  higher  sphere;  for  something  else.  And 
he  could  not  tell  what  that  something  else  was.  He  had  no 
clear  sense  of  duty.  Of  one  thing  he  was  certain — that  farming 
was  not  to  be  the  work  of  his  life.  Beyond  that  he  could  not 
see  his  way  clear.  He  was  in  darkness  and  doubt.  He  groped 
around  him  for  sympathy,  and  failed  to  find  it.  His  comrades, 
even  his  own  brothers,  could  not  understand  him.  "What  is 
the  matter  with  you?  You  act  so  strangely  this  while  past." 
This  was  the  cold  comfort  he  received.  His  godly  mother,  in 
her  heart  of  hearts,  seemed  to  understand  him  fully.  He  wrestled 
with  God.  At  times  a  lonely  sense  of  abandonment  oppressed 
him.  He  prayed  with  locked  doors,  under  trees,  in  the  barn, 
behind  the  curtain  of  night — wherever  he  could  find  God  alone. 
He  was  shut  up  by  tradition,  education,  training,  general  habit, 
and  by  a  thousand  environments,  to  enter  an  occupation  from 
which  he  shrank  with  mysterious  dread. 

He  quit  going  to  school.  It  was  thought  he  should  now  labor 
with  a  view  to  his  future  farming  pursuits.  During  the  interval 
of  a  few  years  he  worked,  read  and  prayed,  in  a  state  of  pain- 
ful suspense  and  uncertainty.  At  length  the  father  advised  him 
to  resume  his  studies  at  school,  for  by  this  time  he  too  felt  per- 
plexed. He  had  no  wish  to  force  his  son  into  a  sphere  for  which 
God  had  not  designed  him.  "Go  to  school  again,  my  son.  God 
grant  that  light  may  soon  dawn  upon  us."  So  spake  the  good 
man.     The  boy  ought  to  have  unburdened  himself  to  his  pastor. 

This  brings  us  to  the  period  of  twenty  years  ago.  It  was  in 
the  fall  of  the  year.  The  corn  had  all  been  husked  and  housed  in 
the  large  cribs.  The  apples  had  been  picked,  cider  made,  apple- 
butter  boiled.  A  lot  of  large  stock  had  been  "tied  up."  This 
tying  up  of  wild  Western  cattle,  into  a  Pennsylvania  barn  for  the 
first  time,  is  always  an  exciting  work  to  farmer  boys.  They  often 
cut  up  all  sorts  of  pranks  before  you  can  force  them  into  the 


42  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

stables.  Some  of  them  become  fierce  and  frantic  when  they  are 
in.  Heavy  ropes  and  strong  arms  must  be  used  to  drag  them  to 
their  places.  All  this  Casper — for  thus  we  shall  name  him — 
helped  to  do  before  the  school  term  commenced.  The  winter 
previous  he  had  fed  the  cattle.     And  a  dreary  winter  it  was. 

At  length  school  time  began.  The  leaves  were  falling.  As 
he  walked  through  the  woods,  his  footsteps  produced  a  strange 
rustling  among  them.  Autumn  winds  were  sighing  and  Casper 
felt  sad.  He  encountered  a  new  trial.  Ignorant  as  to  the  pro- 
fession or  occupation  God  had  called  him  to,  he  could  not  know 
what  branches  to  study.  About  a  mile  from  his  home  stood 
the  country  schoolhouse — an  humble  brick  building,  on  the  edge 
of  a  large  grove.  Years  before,  when  a  prattling,  frolicking  boy, 
Casper  used  to  play  ball  under  the  old  trees.  He  still  remember- 
ed the  long  hours  through  which  he  used  to  worry,  on  the  hard 
high  benches  without  backs  when  his  feet  could  not  yet  reach 
the  floor.  In  a  corner  on  a  bench  stood  the  old  water  bucket 
and  the  tin  cup.  With  this  he  brought  many  a  heavy  bucket  of 
water  up  the  tiresome  path,  from  the  "spring,"  at  the  lower  end 
of  the  grove.  Aside  of  the  school-house  stood  the  old  frame 
meeting  house,  and  a  long  shed  to  shelter  horses  Sabbath  days. 
High  stone  steps  led  to  the  meeting-house  door.  On  these  the 
children  used  to  crack  nuts.  The  grove  was  unfenced — an  open 
public  pasture  ground.  All  day  long  the  cows  from  a  neighbor- 
ing village  cropped  the  short  grass,  and  kept  up  an  incessant 
tinkling  of  bells — bells  pitched  on  every  imaginable  key.  In 
the  autumn,  when  hickory-nut  time  came,  the  boys  would  in- 
dulge in  climbing  exploits. 

Now  Casper  returns  to  his  old  play-ground.  No  longer  a 
child,  he  knows  but  few  of  the  scholars.  His  former  sports  no 
longer  charm  him  He  feels  no  inclination  to  engage  in  the  in- 
nocent amusements  of  the  children.  His  teacher  gives  him  a 
seat  near  him,  two  benches  from  where  he  sat  years  before.  Now 
his  feet  can  reach  the  floor.  He  sternly  sticks  to  his  books  dur- 
ing school  and  play  hours. 

The  teacher  was  a  man,  in  scholarship,  above  the  average  of 
his  profession,  an  amiable  born  gentleman,  who  had  gained  his 
position  and  character  by  means  of  much  labor  and  self  denial. 
Casper  unburdened  his  heart  to  him,  and  found  him  a  wise  coun- 
sellor and  sympathizing  friend.  He  advised  him  to  begin  with 
Arithmetic,  Algebra  and  English  Grammar.  To  these  branches 
he  at  once  applied  himself  with  utmost  diligence.  He  toiled 
over  his  books  till  midnight.  It  was  a  dreary  labor  to  him.  He 
felt  out  of  his  element  in  the  school;  in  years  and  attainments, 
far  beyond  the  other  scholars.     One,  a  comrade,  sat  by  his  side — 


ancestry:  early  years  43 

his  equal  in  age,  and  studying  the  same  branches.  Another,  a 
few  seats  off,  who  was  perhaps  twice  his  age,  a  cobbler  with  a 
family,  who  tried  to  study,  but  to  little  purpose.  The  rest  were 
children,  such  as  are  commonly  found  in  country  schools. 

That  autumn  Casper's  teacher  had  been  elected  the  second 
time  as  a  member  of  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature.  To  take 
his  seat  in  that  body,  it  was, necessary  for  him  to  cease  teaching 
on  the  first  of  January.  A  successor  was  to  be  elected  by  the 
citizens  of  the  school  districts.  One  day  he  remarked  to  Casper 
and  his  comrade:  "Boys,  in  a  few  weeks  I  shall  have  to  quit 
teaching  here.  I  wish  you  two  to  take  charge  of  the  school. 
I  can  safely  recommend  you  for  the  position,  and  that  will  se- 
cure you  an  election." 

Neither  of  the  young  men  deemed  himself  qualified  for  the 
post;  but  the  kind  and  earnest  request  of  their  friend  led  them  at 
length  to  consent.  The  teacher  was  one  of  the  most  popular  in 
the  district.  There  could  be  no  doubt  about  their  getting  the 
place.  Indeed,  the  community  would  consider  themselves  very 
fortunate  in  securing  the  services  of  two  young  men  held  in  such 
high  esteem  by  their  instructor.  Casper,  at  length  thought  he 
saw  signs  of  a  coming  dawn,  he  felt  a  sense  of  inexpressible  re- 
lief; this  solved  the  whole  problem,  he  thought;  God  wanted 
him  to  become  a  teacher.  The  education  of  children  is,  after 
all,  a  more  solemn  and  important  work  than  farming.  To  mould 
immortal  minds  and  plastic  hearts  for  truth,  piety,  and  com- 
munion with  Christ — what  a  high  and  holy  calling!  The  heavens 
brightened;  his  heart  was  brimful  of  joy.  He  told  his  parents. 
''Well,"  said  they,  "bide  God's  time,  dear  child;  do  whatsoever 
He  bids  thee." 

On  a  chilly,  dreary  day  of  Christmas  week,  the  election  was 
held  at  the  school  house.  A  few  days  before,  Casper  and  his 
friend  heard  that  Schwartz,  the  cobbler,  was  trying  to  secure 
the  position.  The  young  men  laughed  heartily,  for  the  poor 
man  was  notoriously  one  of  the  most  ignorant,  stupid  persons 
in  the  district.  They  asked  no  one  to  vote  for  them.  Every- 
body knew  them,  their  parents  and  their  manner  of  life; — knew 
the  cobbler  too,  and  his  irremediable  ignorance.  Besides  this, 
they  had  the  teacher's  recommendation.  Their  election,  they 
thought,  was  a  foregone  conclusion. 

Neither  of  them  went  to  the  election.  Anticipations  of  cer- 
tain victory  were  mingled  with  Christmas  joys  at  home.  The 
next  day  a  neighbor  dropped  in.  "Merry  Christmas,  Casper," 
was  the  greeting.  "Merry  Christmas  to  you  likewise,  neigh- 
bor Albrecht, "  greeted  Casper.  "Hast  heard  the  election  news, 
Casper. "     "No,  what  is  the  result? "     " Gus  Schwartz  is  elected. ' ' 


44  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

"Ah,  nonsense!  Let  us  have  the  truth — what  is  it?"  "True 
as  I  hve,  the  cobbler  has  been  elected,  and  by  a  pretty  large 
majority  at  that!"  "He  has?"  replied  Casper,  flushed  with  ex- 
citement. "What  in  the  name  of  reason  do  they  want  with 
such  a  man  as  a  teacher?  Why,  he  knows  less  than  three-fourths 
of  the  scholars!  He  stuck  at  the  simplest  sums  in  the  Rule  of 
Three!  He  is  so  impenetrably  stupid  in  geography,  that  he 
could  hardly  tell  you  whether  Paris  is  in  France  or  Russia!  Why, 
he  absolutely  cannot  read,  much  less  spell!     Why,  he" — 

"Keep  calm,  my  child,"  said  Casper's  mother,  "all  things 
shall  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God.  You  know 
we  often  sing: 

Whate'er  my  God  ordains  is  right, 

He  never  will  deceive; 
He  leads  me  by  the  proper  path, 

And  so  I  to  Him  cleave, 

And  take  content, 

What  He  hath  sent. 
His  hand  can  turn  my  griefs  away, 
And  patiently  I  wait  His  day." 

"O  yes,  mother,  that  is  all  very  true;  but  do  you  think  that 
God  can  use  such  a  stupid  cobbler  as  a  school  teacher?" 

"My  child,  my  child!  beware  how  you  question  the  wisdom  of 
our  Heavenly  Father!  You  are  excited  now;  guard  your  tongue 
till  you  are  more  calm." 

"Yes,  mother,  you  are  right,"  said  poor  Casper.  "I  spoke 
rashly,  and  I  pray  God  forgive  me.  But  to  be  defeated  by  a 
man  who  can  not  even  read,  write  or  cipher  decently — to  be  de- 
feated by  him  in  your  own  neighborhood,  where  everybody  knows 
that  I  am  better  qualified  than  he — to  be  defeated,  after  I  have 
had  the  Assemblyman  to  back  me — and  by  this  cobbler!  Did 
you  ever  hear  of  such  a  thing?  I  tell  you,  mother,  it  is  enough 
to  excite  one.  Besides,  this  defeats  my  plans  of  future  useful- 
ness.    Now  I  am  adrift  in  a  dark,  stormy  sea  again." 

"My  son,  'a  prophet  is  not  without  honor,  save  in  his  own 
country.'  If  our  blessed  Saviour  was  willing  that  this  should 
be  said  of  Him,  how  much  more  should  we  endure  similar  re- 
proach. You  are  not  adrift.  Your  father  and  I  have  often 
prayed  that  God  might  guide  you.  His  hand  is  at  the  helm. 
'He  is  leading  you  in  ways  you  know  not  of.'" 

"Neighbor  Albrecht,  do  tell  us  how  this  thing  has  happened." 

"Well,  I  can  tell  you  all  about  it.  You  know  Schwartz  is  one 
of  the  cobblers  of  the  village.  Many  wear  the  shoes  he  has 
made  and  mended.  They  say  he  is  an  honest,  industrious  man, 
which  you  know  he  is.     Many  people  in  this  district  reasoned  in 


ancestry:   early  years  45 

this  wise:  Schwartz  is  a  poor  man,  with  a  wife  and  five  children 
to  support.  His  children  must  have  bread.  He  needs  the  situa- 
tion to  support  his  family.  You  and  your  friend  have  no  wife 
and  children  to  support." 

"Did  you  ever  hear  of  such  a  set  of  Hottentots?" 

"Stop,  stop,  Casper,  let  me  finish  now.  Besides,  they  go  on 
to  say,  that  you  young  men  have  parents  who  have  money  to 
keep  you  going.  In  short,  they  voted  for  Schwartz  to  give  bread 
and  clothing  to  his  wife  and  children." 

"Very  well,  I  am  content.  If  such  are  the  requisite  qualifica- 
tions of  a  school  master  in  this  district,  he  is  welcome  to  the 
position.  Schwartz  is  an  honest,  industrious  cobbler,  but  a 
most  contemptible  school  teacher.  My  word  for  it,  ere  long  he 
will  learn  one  lesson  thoroughly,  if  he  has  never  learned  any 
before,  and  that  is  the  well-known  adage:  'Shoemaker,  stick  to 
thy  last.'" 

Again  Casper  was  in  great  trouble  about  his  future  calling. 
What  he  should  now  get  at  was  a  dark  problem.  He  prayed  for 
light  and  his  parents  helped  him  to  pray.  He  concluded  to  con- 
tinue his  studies  in  the  academy  of  a  neighboring  town,  till  the 
following  spring.  He  studied  hard;  spent  much  time  by  him- 
self— perhaps  too  much.  This  uncertain  state  of  mind  cast  a 
gloom  over  his  whole  work.  The  pious  lady  with  whom 
he  boarded  vainly  tried  to  cheer  him  under  his  dreary  trials.  A 
few  weeks  after  he  had  commenced,  the  cobbler  sent  Casper  and 
his  friend  word  to  please  come  and  take  the  school  off  his  hands, 
that  he  had  run  aground.  He  returned  to  his  "last"  a  wiser,  if 
not  a  more  learned  man.  Casper  grappled  with  algebra  and 
all  manner  of  other  hard  lessons,  some  of  which  had  never  been 
written  in  books.  As  to  teaching  that  was  now  out  of  the  ques- 
tion. 

He  read  much,  ran  wildly  to  and  fro  in  quest  of  knowledge; 
read  books  good  and  evil,  the  Bible  and  Byron,  to  satisfy  his 
restive  spirit.  His  father  took  the  German  Reformed  Messenger. 
In  it  he  read  appeals  for  more  ministers.  Articles  which  entreated 
young  men  in  the  name  of  Christ  to  devote  themselves  to  the 
sacred  office.  What  if  I  would  study  for  the  ministry?  he  thought 
to  himself.  His  new  teachers  gave  a  fresh  impulse  to  his  mind, 
infused  a  new  vigor  into  his  studies,  kindled  a  keener  thirst  for 
the  truth.  Along  wdth  this  the  pastor  of  a  neighboring  church 
urged  him  to  enter  Christ's  vineyard  as  a  laborer — urged  him 
with  the  most  tender,  earnest  entreaties.  A  score  of  difficulties 
were  in  his  way.  He  had  no  speaking  talent;  was  too  far  back 
in  his  studies  to  spend  six  or  eight  years  in  a  course  of  study. 
It  seemed  like  half  a  life-time  thrown  away.     The  man  of  God 


46  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

prayed  for  him  and  soon  left  him  without  an  excuse.  In  short, 
the  following  spring  Casper  went  to  College.  He  is  now  a  min- 
ister. Among  many  lessons  which  he  thanks  God  for,  is  the  one 
he  has  learned  from  his  defeat  by  cobbler  Schwartz.  That  taught 
him  humility  and  submission  and  helped  him  to  choose  a  pro- 
fession. Had  he  succeeded  he  might  be  the  teacher  of  a  district 
school  to  this  day.     His  defeat  was  a  turning  point  in  his  life. 

In  the  foregoing  Dr.  Bausman  assumes  the  name  of  Casper 
from  a  quaint  wiseacre  of  a  hired  man  of  whose  joviality  he 
often  spoke  in  after  years.  The  school  teacher  who  became 
legislator  was  Jacob  G.  Shuman,  "the  most  popular  man  of  the 
village."  "Neighbor  Albrecht"  was  a  school  director  and 
could  therefore  speak  of  the  painful  result  of  the  election  with 
authority. 

The  "academy  of  a  neighboring  town"  was  Franklin  College, 
Lancaster,  and  the  time  of  his  attending  it  the  early  months  of 
1846. 

The  concluding  paragraph  of  Dr.  Bausman's  "Autobiographical 
Material"  is  about  the  "man  of  God,  pastor  of  a  neighboring 
church:" 

One  day  a  plainly  dressed  young  man  visited  our  house.  He 
was  pastor  of  the  neighboring  Millersville  charge,  a  weak  and 
newly  constituted  pastoral  field  of  which  he  was  the  first  shepherd. 
Although  not  my  pastor,  he  took  a  kindly  interest  in  me  and  I 
often  attended  his  ministrations.  Young  in  the  ministry,  in 
impaired  health  and  with  an  incomplete  course  of  study,  neither 
learned  nor  eloquent,  he  was  a  very  saintly  man  and  beloved  by 
saint  and  sinner  because  he  loved  everybody,  the  Rev.  Peter 
Sweigert.  Like  David  Brainerd  he  laid  himself  on  the  altar  of 
God  as  a  whole  burnt  offering.  When  about  parting  at  the  front 
door,  he  paused  a  moment  and  said  to  me,  "God  wants  you  to 
become  a  minister  of  the  gospel."  I  was  startled,  for  such  a 
thought  had  never  entered  my  mind.  "What,  I  become  a  min- 
ister! It  is  not  possible."  "Yes,  the  Lord  hath  need  of  you. 
I  beg  you  do  not  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  this  call.  We  will  both  pray 
for  light  till  I  see  you  again.  Farewell."  Thus  after  a  season 
of  mental  uncertainty  and  unrest,  this  humble  man  was  sent  to 
interpret  the  voice  of  God  to  my  soul.  With  the  childlike  faith 
of  ancient  times,  people  would  have  called  my  friend  a  prophet 
or  an  angel  of  God  sent  as  was  Elijah  to  Elisha,  to  lead  a  poor 
soul  groping  in  darkness  into  a  God-appointed  life  calling.     To 


ancestry:    early  years  47 

Peter  Sweigert,  under  God,  more  than  to  any  other  person  I  am 
indebted  for  being  a  minister  of  the  gospel.  In  less  than  a  year 
thereafter,  this  loving  and  lovable  man  of  God  entered  upon  his 
reward  and  in  less  than  a  year  later,  I  entered  Marshall  College 
in  Mercersburg  to  study  for  the  ministry.  It  was  a  surprise  to 
my  parents.  I  had  expected  them  to  urge  or  dissuade  me.  They 
did  neither,  but  committed  me  to  the  divine  guidance.  Father 
said,  "I  will  give  you  all  the  money  you  need  to  prosecute  your 
studies,  if  God  calls  you." 

No  doubt  many  influences  worked  together  in  leading  Ben- 
jamin Bausman  to  decide  for  the  ministry.  The  first  time  he 
led  in  prayer  was  in  the  prayer-meeting  of  the  First  Reformed 
Church,  Lancaster,  when  called  on  by  Christian  Gast,  father  of 
Prof.  F.  A.  Gast,  D.  D.,  of  the  Lancaster  Seminary.  The  in- 
cident impressed  him  and  was  a  step  in  the  direction  of  his  life 
calling.  Father  Gast,  too,  urged  him  to  study  for  the  ministry 
and  was  one  of  his  kindly  counsellors. 

Another  occurrence  which  doubtless  had  its  bearing  on  his 
great  life  decision  was  on  his  visit  to  Pastor  Glessner's  at  butcher- 
ing time  with  meat  and  sausages: 

After  the  baskets  had  been  emptied  he  insisted  on  taking  the 
awkward  chap  into  the  parlor  of  the  parsonage.  To  my  con- 
sternation he  introduced  me  to  a  gay  looking  young  gentleman 
just  arrived  from  Germany,  whom  he  called  Dr.  Schaff.  Well 
do  I  remember  his  black  hair  and  his  face  fresh  like  a  blushing 
spring  rose  surmounted  with  gold  spectacles.  He  took  me  by 
the  hand  and  expressed  himself  pleased  with  my  way  of  visiting 
my  pastor.  As  a  bashful  country  lad,  I  stood  in  awe  of  the 
brilliant  German  scholar.  He  then  laid  his  hand  upon  my  shoul- 
der, saying,  "I  hope  to  see  you  in  our  seminary  one  day  as  a 
student  for  the  ministry."  I  then  little  expected  that  his  hopes 
would  be  realized. 

This  must  have  been  in  the  winter  of  1844  and  1845,  for  Dr. 
Schaff  had  arrived  at  Mercersburg  from  Germany  in  August,  1844. 
In  the  spring  of  1846  the  short  course  at  Franklin  College  was 
terminated  and  Benjamin  Bausman  entered  definitely  on  the 
new  life  upon  which  he  was  set.  He  was  twenty-two  years  old 
when  he  went  to  Mercersburg  to  prepare  for  college  and  the 
date  of  his  departure  became  ever  afterward  for  him  a  sacramental 


40  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

day  of  serious  meditation,  which  he  referred  to  in  diary  and 
many  an  article  with  tender  memories  as  in  the  following: 

It  was  on  May  6,  1846.  A  pleasant,  balmy  spring  morning 
fixed  for  my  departure  for  College.  Of  all  that  had  preceded  I 
will  not  speak.  It  was  to  be  my  first  home-leaving,  the  first 
passing  out  from  under  the  watchful  parental  care  of  home  into 
the  untried  life  of  a  College  student.  Both  parents  did  their 
part  in  providing  the  needed  outfit.  Naturally  the  inventive 
affection  of  my  mother  did  the  most.  A  trunk  of  little  and  larger 
articles — not  even  forgetting  needles,  thread,  woolen  yarn  and  a 
piece  of  beeswax.  For  weeks  before  her  busy  hands  knitted, 
sewed  and  wrought  in  many  ways  and  meanwhile  her  heart 
prayed  for  her  youngest  born  about  to  leave  home.  I  watched 
her  folding  and  packing,  one  article  after  the  other  was  carefully 
put  in  its  place.  Now  and  then  a  tear  warm  from  her  heart  fell 
into  the  trunk.  Not  that  I  went  without  her  consent.  Indeed 
she  was  thankful  for  the  privilege  of  giving  a  son  to  the  ministry. 
Still  the  cheerful  offering  cost  her  mother's  heart  many  a  tear; 
perhaps  more  for  my  sake  than  for  her's.  Her  tears  were  packed 
with  the  other  gifts  of  love  in  the  trunk.  The  garments  and 
other  useful  articles  have  long  since  been  worn  out,  but  the  tears 
remain  to  me  a  fresh  and  imperishable  blessing. 

At  length  the  trunk  was  carried  on  the  front  porch.  Mean- 
while the  carriage  came  to  take  me  to  the  train.  Many  caresses 
and  kisses  had  she  lavished  on  me  in  childhood.  For  some  years 
I  had  entered  into  the  more  bashful  and  shy  period  of  youth  and 
early  manhood,  when  one's  filial  affection  is  less  demonstrative. 
That  first  parting  on  the  front  porch,  receiving  my  dear  mother's 
parting  embrace,  sobbing  as  she  kissed  me,  and  wiping  the  fast- 
falling  tears  from  her  face,  as  we  rode  out  the  lane,  all  this  came 
back  so  freshly  to  my  heart  this  6th  day  of  May,  1881,  that  for 
a  while  I  could  think  of  nothing  else  but  this.  How  many  pleas- 
ant discoveries  did  I  make  when  I  first  came  to  unpacking  my 
trunk  in  my  College  room!  Many  days  after,  I  continued  to 
discover  little  nick-nacks,  keepsakes  and  things  pleasant  to  have, 
which  she  had  hidden  in  some  unexpected  corner  of  the  trunk. 
I  saw  her  afterwards,  prayed  with  her  when  sick  and  stood  by 
her  soul  when  she  went  to  heaven,  and  often  since  I  have  visited 
her  grave.  Yet  in  thinking  of  her,  she  mostly  appears  to  my 
mind  in  connection  with  her  busy  motherly  care  when  providing 
my  first  outfit  for  College.  Not  as  a  distressed  and  feeble  in- 
valid, nor  as  a  dying  saint,  do  I  now  think  of  her  the  oftenest, 
but  in  her  plain  dress  and  tidy  white  cap,  her  pale  face  beaming 
with  tears,  as  she  crouched  down  aside  of  the  open  trunk  and 


ancestry:   early  years  49 

carefully  packed  its  precious  contents.  And  somehow,  to  this 
day,  I  have  a  notion  that  the  placing  of  every  package  in  the 
trunk  was  attended  with  a  prayer  for  me.  Sitting  on  a  later 
porch  which  covers  the  site  of  the  old  one,  looking  out  upon 
the  same  fields  and  starry  skies  which  she  used  to  see,  did  this 
scene  of  the  6th  of  May,  1846,  crowd  upon  my  memory.  Amid 
newer  buildings  and  changed  surroundings,  not  only  the  images, 
but  the  reality  of  the  old  in  one's  life.  From  twilight  of  even- 
ing till  far  into  the  night  do  I  yearly  sit  in  solemn  reverie  on  the 
later  porch,  and  while  listening  and  looking  at  the  voices  and  the 
sounds  of  the  night  coming  on,  commune  with  the  spirits  and 
lives  of  the  years  gone  by. 

The  trunk,  now  old  and  travel-worn,  I  have  sacredly  preserved. 
For  you,  dear  reader,  it  would  have  no  attraction,  for  me  it  has 
precious  value.  Not  for  a  great  price  would  I  consent  to  part 
with  it.  Often  have  I  opened  its  lid  and  looked  into  its  empty 
parts,  and  passed  my  hands  over  its  inner  surface,  and  gratefully 
thought  and  felt  how  in  all  these  years  past  it  has  been  filled  with 
the  tearful  blessings  of  a  mother's  love.  How  strange  yet  how 
true,  that  a  mother's  prayers  can  be  thus  associated  with  and 
hallow  a  perishable  relic  of  the  past! 

My  mother  died  ten  years  before  my  father.  Her  death  left 
him  exceedingly  forlorn  and  sad.  He  would  often  sit  by  him- 
self in  thoughtful  loneliness  and  wander  to  her  grave  and  weep 
there. 


CHAPTER  II 

Marshall  College— 1846-1851 

WHEN  Benjamin  Bausman  came  to  Mercersburg  in  the 
spring  of  1846,  it  was  to  enter  the  preparatory  depart- 
ment of  Marshall  College,  where  he  continued  his  studies  until 
he  entered  the  Freshman  class  in  the  fall  of  the  following  year. 
He  was  graduated  in  September,  1851. 

The  impression  is  abroad  that  the  early  Mercersburg  teachers 
were  intellectual  giants,  and  this  is  abundantly  confirmed  by  the 
experience  and  judgment  of  Mr.  Bausman.  As  a  student  he 
revered  them  and  held  them  ever  after  in  the  highest  honor. 

In  later  years  he  wrote  of  his  first  coming  to  the  old  mountain 
town  and  the  unusually  hearty  reception  given  him  by  the  stu- 
dents. He  learned  very  soon  that  they  were  impelled  by  a  very 
definite  motive,  for  the  rivalry  between  the  Diagnothian  and 
Goethean  Literary  Societies  was  then  very  intense  and  even 
bitter.  He  mentions  P.  C.  Prugh  as  one  of  those  who  warmly 
welcomed  him.  They  were  afterward  bosom  friends.  He  spent 
his  first  night  at  the  Utelian  Club. 

Geo.  W.  Aughinbaugh  became  his  instructor  in  Latin.  In 
after  years,  when  he  entertained  his  old  teacher  in  his  home,  he 
would  refer  jovially  to  his  wrestlings  with  the  paradigms:  "It 
was  you  who  taught  me  hie,  haec,  hoc,  and  a  hard  master  you 
were."  Dr.  Aughinbaugh  survived  his  pupil  and  spoke  of  him 
as  "an  earnest  student  and  more  than  ordinarily  interested  in 
my  method  of  teaching  and  guilty  of  no  pranks." 

Daniel  J.  Neff  wrote  of  him  shortly  after  his  death: 

I  am  his  only  surviving  classmate.  I  have  very  pleasant 
recollections  of  Benjamin  Bausman.  It  was  my  privilege  to 
enjoy  his  friendship  during  all  my  college  days.  He  had  no 
special  predilection  for  mathematics,  although  he  regularly  at- 
tended the  recitations,  and  maintained  a  fair  average  in  his  class, 

50 


MARSHALL   COLLEGE  51 

in  that  branch  of  study.  In  languages,  natural  science  and  all 
other  departments  of  the  college  curriculum,  he  was  very  pro- 
ficient. Whilst  he  was  not  a  plodder,  he  was  very  diligent, 
studious  and  attentive  to  all  his  duties  as  a  collegian.  I  always 
thought  he  was  especially  gifted  as  a  writer;  his  compositions 
and  orations  were  much  above  the  ordinary.  He  was  pleasing 
and  affable  in  deportment,  of  a  cheerful  and  happy  disposition, 
and  as  a  conversationalist  he  was  very  interesting  and  entertain- 
ing. He  was  held  in  high  esteem  by  the  students  generally  as 
well  as  by  the  professors.  He  had  no  disposition  whatever  to 
be  frivolous  or  to  indulge  in  tricks.  He  would  occasionally  refer 
in  a  jocular  way  to  Lancaster  County  as  the  "Invincible  Old 
Guard." 

All  that  one  can  learn  about  his  college  years,  particularly  in 
the  earlier  part,  points  to  his  exceeding  seriousness.  He  was  one 
of  the  very  few  who  did  not  participate  in  the  serenade  of  a  newly 
wedded  pair  in  the  preparatory  building  in  which  he  roomed  as 
"a  preparatorian. " 

The  mysteries  of  mathematics  were  always  a  puzzle  to  him. 
In  the  common  schools,  when  he  and  another  were  taking  ad- 
vanced work,  it  is  reported  of  him  that  after  worrying  over  a 
problem,  he  fired  the  book  into  the  corner  in  disgust. 

"Mathematics,  save  the  severe  exercise  of  patience  which  it 
cultivates,  is  as  void  of  edifying  impressions  as  the  Libyan  Des- 
ert is  of  water,"  he  afterward  wrote.  His  weakness  in  this 
branch  no  doubt  kept  him  from  winning  "honors"  at  gradua- 
tion. He  always  spoke  in  depreciation  of  his  scholarship  and 
would  humorously  remark  that  if  the  positions  in  class  standing 
had  been  reversed  he  would  have  been  near  the  head. 

In  the  various  student  activities  he  was  a  leader.  He  sang  in 
the  Glee  Club  and  in  the  church  choir.  He  took  lessons  on  the 
melodeon,  which  instrument  he  selected  as  "best  suited  to  my 
taste."  He  was  very  active  in  the  Schiller  German  Literary 
Society,  and  president  of  it  in  1850,  when  the  Ranch  German 
Society  was  united  with  it. 

The  Goethean  Literary  Society  took  much  of  his  time  and  he 
valued  highly  the  training  there  received.  His  first  performance 
was  like  that  of  many  another  man  who  afterward  became  em- 
inent and  was  for  good  reasons  vividly  recalled  by  him: 


52  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

I  was  still  a  green  student,  newly  arrived,  and  all  before  me 
were  in  classes  ahead  of  me  and  knew  everything  and  I  nothing. 
How  wise  they  looked,  like  modern  Solons!  The  sight  of  J.  0. 
Miller,  H.  Rust,  W.  H.  Super  and  others  knocked  the  bottom 
out  of  my  memory  before  I  reached  the  middle  of  my  piece. 
Just  then  and  there  it  was  a  horrid,  indeed  a  heart-rending  failure 
to  me. 

Mr.  Frank  R.  Diffenderffer,  of  the  Lancaster  New  Era,  in  en- 
couraging the  members  of  the  Goethean  Literary  Society  a  few 
years  ago  to  greater  efforts  in  getting  new  members,  cited  Ben- 
jamin Bausman  as  a  worthy  example  for  them.  It  was  in  October, 
1849,  when  the  fall  session  began  that  Diffenderffer  came  to  enter 
the  preparatory.  On  the  stage  from  Chambersburg  to  Mercers- 
burg,  old  students  buttonholed  him  for  the  Goethean.  He  had 
a  letter  of  introduction  to  George  B.  Russell,  but  he  was  prevailed 
on  to  meet  the  Lancaster  boys,  Bausman  and  Peters,  first.  At 
the  end  of  the  route  the  students  were  gathered.  Bausman  was 
standing  in  the  crowd  and  was  called.  He  took  charge  of  Diffen- 
derffer. This  was  Saturday  and  Bausman  had  him  room  with 
him  till  Monday,  "in  process  of  incubation,"  meantime  showing 
him  about,  helping  him  get  a  room,  stove,  wood,  etc.,  until  he 
had  him  "fixed"  for  the  society.  Only  then  was  he  permitted 
to  find  Russell  and  show  him  the  letter  of  introduction.  With 
something  of  elation  Bausman  wrote  in  his  Journal  for  that  day: 
"We  got  his  name  for  our  society  this  evening." 

At  the  Commencement  of  Franklin  and  Marshall  College  in 
1901,  Dr.  Bausman  referred  to  this  incident  in  his  address  on  the 
semi-centennial  of  his  graduation  and  said:  "I  claim  large  credit 
in  the  fundamental  training  of  a  first  class  journalist  in  the  person 
of  Mr.  Frank  Diffenderffer  of  the  New  Era  of  this  city." 

The  Goethean  and  Diagnothian  Society  halls  were  completed 
during  Bausman's  student  days,  and  both  organizations  were 
beset  with  difficulties  in  paying  for  them.  Bausman  gave  largely 
to  save  his  society's  honor,  served  on  the  hall  committee  and 
figured  in  the  magistrate's  office  at  Fort  Loudon  because  of 
litigation  involved.  He  filled  all  important  offices  from  time  to 
time,  being  elected  president  at  the  end  of  the  Junior  year. 

Benjamin  Bausman  went  to  college  to  study  for  the  ministry 


MARSHALL    COLLEGE  53 

and  he  never  lost  sight  of  his  object.  We  have  his  regularly 
kept  Journal  from  his  Sophomore  year  on.  It  is  our  chief  source 
of  information  for  his  college  days.  One  is  impressed,  in  reading 
it,  with  his  intense  piety,  which  would  be  regarded  as  super- 
seriousness  in  a  student  of  our  day.  His  age  was  of  course 
beyond  that  of  the  average  student.  He  was  twenty-three  years 
old  when  he  entered  the  Freshman  class. 

Everything  he  sees  and  does  is  judged  from  the  religious  point 
of  view,  and  he  subjects  himself  nearly  every  day  to  the  severest 
self-examination.  His  Journal  is  for  him  a  kind  of  confessional 
in  which  he  brings  himself  up  before  thenar  of  God  nearly  every 
night  of  his  student  life.  This  Journal  is  also  for  him  a  medium 
of  expression,  where  he  gives  utterance  to  his  solemn  meditations. 
These  are  very  profuse.  He  kept  a  diary  to  the  end  of  his  life, 
but  after  entering  the  ministry  he  had  other  channels  for  ex- 
pression and  his  diary  notes  became  more  brief. 

His  spiritual  life  and  development  while  at  college  interest 
us  most  and  our  sources  give  us  more  information  on  this  phase 
of  his  life  than  on  any  other.  Like  every  great  saint  he  felt 
himself  beset  with  many  foes.  The  very  studies  of  the  course 
itself  had  a  chilling  effect  on  spiritual  fervor.  Ten  years  after 
graduation,  writing  editorially  in  the  Messenger  on  the  Day  of 
Prayer  for  Colleges,  he  oaid : 

Many  look  upon  a  college  as  an  Eden  without  a  serpent,  where 
a  man  could  not  well  help  but  be  pious.  The  social  atmosphere 
of  students  is  often  vitiated  by  immoral  young  men.  In  study- 
ing the  classics  they  must  wade  through  infectious  pools  of  heathen- 
ism. While  the  study  of  some  branches  fosters  piety,  there  is 
danger  lest  that  of  others  will  pump  it  out  of  the  heart. 

This  is  plainly  an  echo  of  his  own  college  experience,  yet  he 
insisted  on  the  disciplinary  value  of  all  studies  in  the  curriculum, 
and  throughout  his  life  plead  that  students  for  the  ministry  should 
in  every  case,  if  possible,  take  the  full  college  course. 

His  enjoyment  of  religious  services  was  intense  and  he  made 
use  of  every  opportunity.  After  being  at  college  two  and  one- 
half  years  he  missed  his  first  Sunday  preaching  service,  because 
of  sickness,  but  spent  the  day  in  reading  Southey's  "Wesley." 


54  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

"Three  inestimable  sermons  in  one  day!  Oh!  for  grace  that  the 
truth  might  germinate  in  me  and  many  other  souls  unto  eternal 
life!"  he  exclaimed  on  another  occasion.  Beside  these  three 
church  services  on  the  same  day,  he  attended  student's  prayer- 
meeting  in  the  morning  and  thereafter  the  Sunday-school  in 
which  he  was  a  teacher.  This  was  his  usual  Sunday  program, 
though  sometimes  he  also  attended  the  prayer  meeting  in  the 
Reformed  Church  of  the  village  before  the  Sunday-school  ses- 
sion. He  attended  the  student's  prayer-meeting  on  Friday 
evenings  very  regularly  and  the  Bible  Class  thereafter,  also  the 
German  prayer-meeting  held  for  a  while  on  Thursday  evenings. 

What  blessed  seasons  are  these  occasional  meetings  after  hav- 
ing engaged  during  the  week  in  the  prosecution  of  my  studies. 
To  me  indeed  a  blessed  privilege. 

He  could  not  omit  these  services  with  a  clear  conscience. 

I  did  not  go  to  prayer-meeting  this  evening  because  of  the  in- 
clemency of  the  weather  and  abundance  of  other  duties,  a  poor 
excuse  I  must  acknowledge. 

Aug.  11,  1848 — Was  prevented  from  going  to  prayer-meeting 
by  several  students  in  my  room.  An  unhappy  evening  it  was  in 
contrast  to  that  spent  in  the  lecture  room.  Oh!  for  more  of  that 
spirit  which  seeks  rather  to  please  God  than  man! 

This  evening  was  called  on  to  lead  in  prayer.  What  a  solemn 
thing  it  is  for  a  sinful  mortal  to  draw  near  to  God,  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  a  whole  meeting  and  make  known  their  wants.  I 
never  feel  the  want  of  divine  aid  more  in  worshiping  God  than 
when  I  am  called  on  to  pray.  Sometimes  this  indisposition  of 
the  soul  to  pray  is  a  sad  indication  that  our  religion  is  at  a  low 
ebb,  and  is  a  sure  and  solemn  admonition  to  be  more  frequent 
and  fervent  at  the  throne  of  God's  grace. 

No  service  of  the  church  stirred  his  soul  so  much  as  the  cele- 
bration of  the  Holy  Communion  which  was  preceded  by  Prepara- 
tory Services  on  Friday  and  Saturday. 

I  know  of  no  scene  on  earth  more  impressive  than  the  celebra- 
tion of  the  Lord's  Supper.  What  a  striking  proof  of  the  wisdom 
of  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  in  its  institution!  To  me  it  is 
always  an  occasion  for  a  pause  to  consider  whence  I  am  and 
whither  I  am  going;  a  day  of  reckoning  in  which  I  am  to  square 
my    accounts,    but    oh!    what    an    infinite    balance    I    always 


MARSHALL    COLLEGE  55 

find  charged  against  me;  the  experience  this  day  has  again  proved 
incontestably  that  "I  have  been  found  wanting."  What  a 
countless  number  of  sins  of  omission  and  commission  crowd 
upon  our  minds  on  such  occasions,  so  that  we  are  always  made 
to  tremble  in  view  of  the  near  approach  we  are  making  to  "Him 
who  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  evil." 

He  seems  almost  morbid  in  his  lookout  for  his  own  short- 
comings and  perils. 

"I  am  twenty-five  years  old  this  day.  I  have  lived  many 
days,  yet  not  one  without  sin. "  He  sometimes  "doubted  whether 
he  was  really  adopted  into  the  family  of  God,"  and  often  felt 
quite  sure  that  he  was  declining  in  piety. 

Commenting  on  the  preacher  of  the  day :  "  He  had  many  good 
thoughts  in  his  sermon  but  delivered  them  in  a  manner  very 
uninteresting." 

No  sooner  had  he  made  this  criticism  than  he  condemned  him- 
self for  it. 

But  oh!  foolish  man  that  I  am  to  sit  in  judgment  for  a  trans- 
action of  this  kind.  The  simplest  sermon  I  ever  heard  contained 
enough  truth  to  cheer  the  weary  pilgrim;  but  we  are  liable  to 
lay  too  much  stress  on  oratory  and  a  florid  style.  When  there 
is  that  hungering  and  thirsting  after  God  of  which  David  speaks 
there  will  not  be  so  much  fault-finding. 

This  is  certainly  unusual  talk  for  a  Sophomore. 

Near  the  end  of  the  same  year  he  makes  observation  on  being 
elected  Secretary  of  the  Goethean  Society,  Vice-President  of  the 
Schiller  Society,  and  a  member  of  two  important  committees: 

What  responsibilities  are  beginning  to  devolve  upon  me. 
The  Lord  has  graciously  favored  me  with  respectability  among 
my  fellow  students.  Lord,  save  me  from  the  pride  of  my  own 
heart.     Lord,  in  proportion  as  I  am  successful  make  me  humble! 

We  read  in  the  Journal  of  the  summer  of  1848: 

A  circus  was  in  town  to-day.  Was  strongly  tempted  to  go, 
but  a  kind  Providence  interposed  and  by  a  single  circumstance 
prevented  me  from  sanctioning  with  my  presence  some  feats  of 
the  Prince  of  darkness. 

A  few  weeks  later  he  attended  a  boisterous  political  meeting 
but  not  without  compunction:    "I  think  I  did  wrong  perhaps  in 


56  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

countenancing  the  movement  so  much  as  to  honor  them  with 
my  presence.  Such  conduct  often  exerts  a  bad  influence  on 
others." 

One  is  glad  to  note  that  he  went  to  Chambersburg  to  see  Gen. 
Taylor  with  satisfaction,  and  Tom  Thumb  without  self-condemna- 
tion. Of  the  latter  he  said:  "Decidedly  the  most  remarkable 
little  fellow  I  have  ever  seen." 

Spent  the  greater  part  of  the  day  in  doing  nothing.  O,  that  I 
might  be  more  deeply  sensible  of  the  preciousness  of  time,  so 
that  I  might  earnestly  engage  in  obeying  the  injunction  of  Holy 
Writ,  "what  thy  hands  find  to  do,  do  with  all  thy  might!" 

And  this  a  Saturday! 

I  was  deterred  from  going  to  church  both  morning  and  after- 
noon in  consequence  of  company.  I  strongly  disapprove  of 
Sabbath  visiting,  but  to-day  I  went  on  grounds  I  deemed  justifi- 
able, though  I  now  apprehend  that  in  the  sight  of  God  my  con- 
duct was  not  justifiable. 

Of  another  Lord's  Day  he  writes:  "I  did  not  enjoy  my  Sab- 
bath much,  having  had  to  entertain  a  new  student."  This  was 
extreme,  unwholesome.  Puritanic  piety  and  he  came  after  a 
while  to  recognize  it  as  such.  These  sentiments  find  expression 
in  his  Journal  for  the  most  part  during  1848  and  1849.  He 
suffered  moods  of  painful  dejection  from  time  to  time.  "To-day 
felt  very  much  depressed  in  spirit,  and  yet  I  have  no  reason  to 
be  thus,  I  am  very  highly  favored. " 

Again  when  afflicted  with  a  boil  he  was  very  much  out  of 
sorts,  yearning  for  his  home:  "I  have  many  friends  here,  but  no 
mother." 

At  this  period  he  was  allowing  his  mind  to  run  continually  on 
gloomy  things  and  said:  "I  like  to  attend  funerals,"  and  he  did 
so  frequently,  dwelling  on  the  "solemn  and  impressive"  thoughts 
occasioned  thereby.     He  thus  records  another  experience: 

Last  night  I  had  one  of  the  most  fearful  dreams.  I  dreamt  I 
was  on  my  death  bed.  Eternity  with  its  awful  realities  seemed 
to  stare  me  in  the  face.  The  anguish  of  soul  I  suffered  is  in- 
describable. I  awoke  and  lo!  it  was  a  dream.  My  joy  in  being 
reheved  from  so  distressing  a  state  is  indescribable. 


MAESHALL    COLLEGE  57 

Through  all  this  floundering  in  the  Slough  of  Despond  there  was 
never  a  hint  of  failing  faith.  Indeed  his  depression  but  drove 
him  back  on  God.  Through  it  all  he  was  bent  on  preparing 
himself  rightly  for  the  high  calhng  on  which  he  had  entered.  On 
an  anniversary  of  that  ever  memorable  departure  from  home  he 
wrote:  "Three  years  ago  I  left  home  for  the  first  time  for  college. 
With  a  sad  heart  and  trembling  hand  I  bade  adieu  to  parents 
and  friends  to  engage  in  an  undertaking  the  most  momentous 
that  ever  engaged  the  mind  of  man." 

Shortly  after  this  he  became  a  teacher  in  the  Sabbath-school 
of  the  Reformed  Church  in  the  village. 

Oh!  what  an  unutterable  responsibility!  Knowing  that  this 
is  the  fact,  what  manner  of  person  ought  I  not  to  be!  a  "living 
epistle  known  and  read"  by  my  scholars  as  well  as  by  "all  men." 
May  the  closet  become  a  testimonial  of  my  faithfulness.  May  I 
drink  deep  of  the  Fountain  opened  in  the  house  of  David  for 
sin  and  uncleanness.  May  I  experience  the  power  of  the  truth 
I  am  to  communicate. 

He  was  haunted  during  this  period  with  forebodings  of  an 
early  death,  and  often  referred  to  it.  Returning  home  at  the  end 
of  the  Sophomore  year  he  wrote:  "Yea,  perhaps  I  have  crossed 
the  threshold  of  my  last  year  in  time.  I  would  devote  all  my 
energies  of  body  and  mind  to  the  glory  of  God.  Lord,  strengthen 
this  desire." 

The  last  of  his  gloomy  cogitations  we  find  on  the  first  day  of 
1850:  "A  dark  and  mysterious  prospect  is  before  us.  The  last 
day  of  the  year  may  find  me  in  the  doleful  tomb." 

No  doubt  there  was  a  wide-spread  fear  of  death  abroad  during 
the  previous  year,  owing  to  the  cholera  epidemic.  The  "day  of 
fasting,  humiliation  and  prayer"  appointed  by  the  President 
of  the  country  was  solemnly  observed  at  the  college.  The  fare- 
wells of  the  Seniors  in  the  Goethean  Society  on  their  vacation 
were  "truly  affecting  such  as  I  never  witnessed  in  the  society 
before,"  owing  to  pathetic  references  to  separation  and  death 
mingled  with  religious  feelings  and  expressions  that  would  seem 
strange  in  college  students  to-day.  A  case  of  cholera  was  re- 
ported in  Mercersburg  and  on  that  day  he  wrote:  "This  dread- 
ful epidemic  has  been  carrying  away  its  thousands  in  this  coun- 


58  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

try.  Nothing  but  the  power  of  the  Omnipotent  can  avert  it 
in  its  maddening  course  and  save  us  from  becoming  its  victims." 
An  incident  happened  in  the  spring  vacation  of  1849  which 
impressed  him  vividly,  as  one  sees  from  the  way  he  wrote  of  it 
a  score  of  years  later: 

Once  I  had  an  athletic  boatman  to  take  me  to  a  fish-basket, 
near  the  breast  of  the  dam,  in  the  Susquehanna,  at  Safe  Harbor. 
In  rowing  me  he  came  near  dropping  one  of  his  oars.  While  he 
nervously  blundered,  the  torrent  swept  the  boat  within  a  few 
paces  of  the  edge  of  the  dam.  The  river  was  very  high,  tumbl- 
ing into  a  boiling  abyss  below.  The  brave  boatman  laid  to  his 
oars,  till  they  apparently  creaked  to  the  very  fibre.  The  boat 
seemed  to  be  poised  on  the  verge  of  the  grave,  as  I  looked  down 
into  the  foaming  waters  in  which  I  thought  my  poor  life  was  now 
to  end.  They  were  long  moments.  The  boatman  battled  the 
torrent  like  a  Titan.  As  I  saw  him  gradually  gaining  on  it,  I 
felt  like  one  plucked  out  of  the  jaws  of  death  by  the  hand  of  a 
merciful  Providence.  With  a  light  heart  he  sped  shoreward, 
and  how  thankful  mine  was,  God  only  fully  knows.  God  helped 
him  to  rescue  our  lives. 

With  the  turn  of  the  half  century  which  he  considered  to  be 
the  end  of  1849,  came  a  decided  change  in  his  outlook  on  life  as 
he  himself  expressed  it  in  the  meditation  on  his  birthday,  which 
in  early  years  was  celebrated  on  January  29th: 

Some  dark  and  gloomy  days  have  fallen  to  my  lot,  but  I  have 
no  one  to  blame  but  myself.  I  am  daily  becoming  more  firmly 
convinced  that  Christianity  is  not  something  gloomy  and  dull 
but  cheerful  and  happy.  The  imagination  that  we  must  se- 
clude ourselves  from  the  rest  of  mankind  and  live  like  hermits 
or  monks,  to  five  in  accordance  with  the  requirements  of  the 
gospel,  is  false.  A  vast  amount  of  human  misery  is  the  result  of 
an  active  imagination,  caused  by  anticipations  which  are  never 
realized.  The  most  trifling  disappointment  or  mere  apparent 
insult  often  furnishes  material  for  a  melancholy  temperament  to 
pine  away  in  sadness  for  months.  The  beautiful  world  in  which 
we  live,  every  blade  of  grass,  every  green  tree,  the  rippling  brook 
as  well  as  the  mighty  deep,  the  twinkling  heavens  by  night  as 
well  as  the  king  of  day  by  day,  all,  all  proclaim  the  goodness  of 
their  Creator.  And  shall  man  surrounded  with  all  these  beauties, 
the  matchless  splendor  and  magnificence  of  God's  creation  pre- 
sented to  his  contemplation,  and  capable  of  understanding  many  of 


MARSHALL    COLLEGE  59 

the  mysteries  and  wonders  of  nature,  shall  he  remain  mute,  and 
spend  his  days  under  the  dotings  of  an  imaginary  sorrow?  No! 
all  these  things  were  created  for  man,  and  unless  he  rejoices  in 
them  and  praises  God  for  them,  it  is  a  sad  indication  that  he 
cannot  recognize  the  beneficence  of  God  and  His  revealed  will, 
to  some  extent  at  least,  in  nature  as  well  as  in  His  written  word. 
The  sentiments  of  the  mother  of  the  Father  of  our  Country  ex- 
press a  great  truth,  "I  am  still  determined  to  be  cheerful  and 
happy  in  whatever  situation  I  may  be;  for  I  have  also  learned 
from  experience,  that  the  greater  part  of  our  happiness  or 
misery  depends  on  our  disposition,  and  not  on  our  circumstances. 
We  carry  the  seeds  of  the  one  or  the  other  about  with  us  in  our 
minds  wherever  we  go." 

This  passage  is  full  of  self  revelation  and  also  of  prophecy. 
He  was  sensitive  and  self  conscious  and  always  remained  so,  but 
he  will  no  longer  allow  the  perils  of  a  finely  wrought  soul  to  en- 
snare him  and  spoil  his  peace  of  mind  and  his  usefulness.  Seri- 
ousness was  the  dominant  note  of  his  character  and  must  always 
remain  so,  but  hereafter  it  must  not  be  paraded.  Cheer  and 
optimism  must  to  the  fore.  There  was  a  strong  strain  of  Puri- 
tanic temper  in  his  life,  but  hereafter  it  becomes  less  pronounced. 
The  sharp  edges  of  its  ascetic  rigor  are  smoothed  down.  Ben- 
jamin Bausman  had  the  experience  of  F.  W.  Robertson  and  of 
many  another  serious  soul.  The  reign  of  law  was  succeeded  in 
the  soul's  growth  by  entrance  into  the  realm  of  liberty  which 
is  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus.  This  entrance  on  his  27th  year 
seems  to  mark  also  the  awakening  in  him  of  that  poetic  apprecia- 
tion of  nature  which  was  so  characteristic  and  irrepressible  in 
him.  After  he  began  to  write  for  publication,  a  few  articles 
nearly  every  year  would  appear  on  the  charm  of  the  several 
seasons  and  their  spiritual  import. 

Those  who  knew  Dr.  Bausman  well  were  impressed  with  his 
geniality  and  humor  and  the  warmth  of  his  personal  friend- 
ship. His  buoyancy  of  spirit  gave  itself  on  occasion  to  a  very 
riot  of  innocent  hilarity.  We  see  something  of  this  in  his  earliest 
extant  letter,  written  June  12,  1850,  to  Herman  Rust,  then  pastor 
of  the  Millersville  charge,  the  warmest  personal  friend  of  his 
student  days,  and  of  the  early  years  of  his  ministry: 


60  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

What  mighty  contests  rise  from  trivial  things!  And  so  you 
have  weighed  me  in  the  balance  of  your  infallible  (?)  judgment, 
and  found  me  wanting.  You  will  certainly  acquire  some  no- 
toriety in  the  world  yet,  if  nothing  else.  By  and  by  you  will 
proscribe  all  anti-tobacco  men  as  rationalists.  For  what  earthly 
right  have  they  to  pry  into  the  chemical  and  sonorous  combina- 
tions of  the  Virginia  weed,  when  thou  canst  prove  out  of  the  in- 
exhaustible store  house  of  thy  majestic  information  that  Dr. 
Schaff  occasionally  emits  his  regaling  fumes,  or  that  our  friend 
and  very  entertaining  scriptor,  G.  H.  Bomberger,  blunts  his 
nasal  sensibilities,  by  charging  his  olfactory  apparatus  with  a 
profuse  supply  of  Demuth's  unrivalled  "pulvis  sternustatorius. " 
"Who  shall  dispute  what  the  reviewers  say!  Their  word's  suf- 
ficient! And  to  ask  a  reason,  in  such  a  state  as  their's,  is  down- 
right treason." 

When  Benjamin  Bausman  was  at  Marshall  College  the  ques- 
tion of  union  with  Franklin  College  and  removal  to  Lancaster 
was  under  discussion.  The  students  were  almost  unanimously 
in  favor  of  it,  and  they  had  demonstrations  and  took  actions  to 
further  it,  in  which  he  took  prominent  part.  The  Rev.  J.  C . 
Bucher  was  collecting  money  for  this  project,  and  Benjamin 
Bausman's  father  gave  $1,000  toward  it.  When  he  heard  it  he 
wrote,  "This  news  affords  me  unbounded  pleasure." 

Benjamin  Bausman  revered  all  his  professors,  but  with  the 
students  generally  he  was  under  the  spell  exercised  by  Dr.  Nevin, 
for  whom  he  had  the  utmost  admiration.  The  thanksgiving 
sermon  in  1848  impressed  him  very  much.  "In  my  humble 
opinion,  Dr.  Nevin  is  equal,  if  not  superior,  to  any  of  the  literati 
of  our  country.  In  his  sermon  to-day  he  exhibited  a  knowledge 
of  the  affairs  of  government  which  would  reflect  credit  upon  the 
greatest  statesman  of  the  world." 

Many  of  the  Doctor's  sermons  were  beyond  his  depth,  and  he 
referred  altogether  to  his  own  incapacity  to  grasp,  when  he  made 
this  comment:  "Dr.  Nevin's  sermon  was  pronounced  good  by 
those  who  understood  him."  Again  of  a  sermon  he  said:  "The 
way  of  the  transgressor  was  never  more  horribly  depicted  to  my 
mind.     His  language  even  failed  to  express  his  emotion." 

Four  months  before  his  death  Dr.  Bausman  read  an  essay 
before  the  Reformed  Ministerium  of  Reading  on  "A  Chapter  of 
Unpublished  History"  in  which  he  said  this  of  Dr.  Nevin: 


HERMAN   RUST 


BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

AT    ABOUT    26 


MARSHALL   COLLEGE  61 

His  primary  aim  was  to  teach  students  to  think;  merely  storing 
the  mind  with  undigested  facts  was  not  sufficient.  His  lectures 
were  often  beyond  our  grasp.  I  usually  took  notes  at  church. 
Afterward  I  rewrote  them  in  more  extended  form.  This  process 
of  elaboration  in  my  mental  crucible  was  a  healthful  discipline 
and  an  aid  in  mastering  the  subject  more  fully. 

The  two  societies  in  a  joint  meeting  got  into  a  furious  quarrel. 
All  were  on  their  feet  and  blood  was  about  to  be  drawn  when  Dr. 
Nevin  opened  the  door  and  we  heard  the  shout,  "Order."  The 
explosion  of  a  bomb  could  not  have  been  more  effective.  With  a 
wave  of  his.  hand  toward  the  open  door  he  filed  them  out  without 
another  word.  And  a  sheepish  looking  lot  of  harmless  sheep 
they  were.  You  wild  Diags  still  scornfully  call  us  "the  pious 
Goetheans," 

At  a  certain  meeting  a  set  of  members  were  to  be  tried  for 
drunkenness.  The  culprits  appeared  before  the  court  armed 
with  clubs  and  fired  with  liquor.  To  avoid  bloodshed  the  Doctor 
was  called  in.  Instead  of  severely  reprimanding  the  guilty  par- 
ties, he  appealed  to  the  sense  of  manly  self  respect  in  us  all.  I 
now  see  that  he  understood  the  case  better  than  we  did. 

He  addressed  the  students  one  day  on  an  important  subject. 
Like  some  of  the  rest  of  us,  one  of  his  juvenile  declamations 
was  the  lines,  "You'd  scarce  expect  one  of  my  age,"  etc.  This 
piece  had  remained  latent  in  his  memory  for  fifty  years.  Un- 
wittingly he  began  his  address  with  his  full  solemn  tone  of  voice, 
"You'd  scarce  expect  one  of  my  age,"  when  we  broke  out  in  un- 
controllable laughter  as  only  students  can  laugh.  Without 
using  the  second  line,  he  joined  in  the  boisterous  merriment  at 
his  own  expense.  He  had  a  keen  sense  of  humor.  His  laughter 
seldom  found  audible  expression,  however.  When  greatly  amused 
the  corners  of  his  mouth  twitched,  and  a  half  audible  sound  would 
be  heard.  Arnold  Brooks,  Col,  Murphy's  negro  porter,  who 
overheard  his  passenger  student  speaking  about  Dr.  Nevin's 
assailants,  remarked  one  day,  "No  use,  sah,  no  use;  dat  three- 
story  head  of  Dr.  Nevin's  is  more  than  a  match  for  all  of  them." 

Mr.  Bausman  pronounced  Dr.  Porter  one  of  the  best  preachers 
he  ever  heard,  excelling  in  oratory  and  elegance  of  style,  and 
being  most  forceful  and  convincing.  Dr.  Schaff  preached  with 
great  power  and  Bausman's  comments  on  him  are  like  this: 
"The  discourse  was  such  as  we  seldom  hear." 

Only  in  one  particular  do  we  find  him  uttering  himself  in 
criticism  of  his  professors  and  he  did  it  with  the  force  and  severity 
of  deep  conviction.     He  complained  again  and  again  of  the  im- 


62  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

morality  and  rowdyism  of  a  small  group  of  students,  some  of  them 
the  sons  of  "pious  praying  parents,"  who  were  not  informed  of 
their  lapses  from  sobriety  and  virtue. 

Our  faculty,  much  as  I  respect  them,  will  surely  be  account- 
able for  the  awful  doom  of  these  depraved  youths.  They  par- 
don, take  on  probation  and  reprimand  instead  of  enforcing  a 
rigorous  discipline,  and  by  their  unexampled  leniency,  appar- 
ently at  least,  connive  at  the  awful  depravity  and  offenses 
of  rowdyism.  If  such  a  course  be  persisted  in,  we  need  not  be 
surprised  if  the  curse  of  heaven,  like  a  blasting  mildew,  will 
sweep  this  institution  from  the  arena  of  existence.  For  charity, 
exercised  in  such  cases,  ceases  to  be  a  virtue,  and  the  guilt  in- 
curred by  a  leniency  which  makes  the  law  a  code  of  unbounded 
mercy,  thus  divesting  it  of  the  robe  of  justice,  such  a  guilt  I  say 
almost  admits  of  no  palliation.  Take  away  these  few  rowdies 
and  there  is  not  an  institution  in  the  land  that  can  furnish  a 
more  moral  and  even  pious  portion  of  students. 

He  even  went  so  far  as  to  pronounce  this  rowdyism  "the  con- 
sequences of  the  unpardonable  leniency  of  the  faculty,"  and 
added:  "Nothing  but  a  sacred  regard  for  duty  induces  me  to 
remain  in  such  a  bedlam  of  confusion." 

With  manifest  approval  he  noted  the  suspension  of  two  stu- 
dents for  "repeated  irregularities"  and  the  expulsion  of  another 
for  drunkenness  and  for  the  circulating  of  infidel  literature.  He 
was  greatly  moved,  however,  by  Dr.  Nevin's  touching  prayer  in 
the  chapel  services  for  the  erring  boys. 

This  conviction  of  the  need  of  firm  dealing  with  offenders  was 
not  simply  the  passing  expression  of  an  idealistic,  highstrung 
young  man,  but  as  will  appear  an  abiding  principle  of  his  life 
and  work. 

Benjamin  Bausman  entered  on  the  work  of  the  Christian 
ministry  long  before  his  ordination,  for  he  sought  every  oppor- 
tunity as  a  student  to  render  a  religious  service.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Mercersburg  Bible  and  Tract 
Society  from  his  Freshman  year,  and  helped  to  distribute  religious 
literature  in  the  vicinity.  He  often  sat  up  with  sick  students  over 
night  to  the  detriment  of  next  day's  recitations;  but  he  enjoyed 
it  and  counted  it  a  "school  of  wisdom."  Next  in  importance 
to  his  own  spiritual  welfare  was  that  of  his  fellow  students.     He 


MARSHALL   COLLEGE  63 

had  on  one  occasion  a  "solemn  interview  ^vdth  a  friend  who  has 
experienced  a  lamentable  declension  in  piety  and  religion." 
When  one  of  the  daring  blasphemers  of  the  college  joined  the 
church  he  exclaimed,  "What  a  glorious  manifestation  of  the 
power  of  Christ!     He  seems  to  be  really  changed." 

His  hunger  for  religious  inspiration  could  not  be  satisfied 
Avith  the  stated  services  at  the  College  and  the  Reformed  Church. 
He  went  to  every  service  possible.  His  pietistic  temper 
responded  to  much  in  the  meetings  of  the  Albrights  and  Method- 
ists; but  he  was  filled  with  unutterable  disgust  at  their  confusion 
and  noise.  Yet  this  aversion  was  mingled  at  the  same  time 
with  sympathy  and  pity  for  "these  poor,  deluded  people." 

Of  a  negro  bush  meeting  in  a  neighboring  grove  he  observed 
that  the  "sermon  would  reflect  credit  on  some  ministers  of  a 
lighter  complexion." 

A  notable  day  in  his  student  career  came  in  the  vacation 
after  the  Junior  year,  when  he  made  his  first  address,  "in  pubHc." 
It  was  to  the  Sunday-school  at  Conestoga  Centre,  part  of  the 
Millersville  charge,  whither  he  was  taken  by  the  pastor,  Herman 
Rust.  He  was  "somewhat  embarrassed  at  first."  On  the  even- 
ing of  the  same  day  he  was  persuaded  to  go  to  the  pulpit  and 
offer  the  first  prayer.  "The  first  time  I  have  ever  been  on  a 
pulpit  to  take  part  in  the  services.  Oh!  that  I  may  become 
prepared  for  the  great  work,  in  a  proper  manner,  for  who  is 
sufficient  for  these  things." 

We  have  every  reason  to  think,  from  references  in  the  Journal 
and  other  hints,  that  Mr.  Bausman  covered  a  wide  range  of 
general  reading  in  history,  poetry  and  essays  during  his  college 
course.  He  was  already  in  the  habit  of  taking  notes  of  his  read- 
ing. A  number  of  note  books  are  left  us,  some  of  whose  extracts 
we  are  quite  sure  were  recorded  during  the  college  days,  among 
others  written  down  in  following  years.  It  is  therefore  impos- 
sible to  make  even  an  approximate  hst  of  the  books  he  read;  but 
we  have  definite  knowledge  of  his  reading  the  following:  Ma- 
caulay's  "History  of  England, "  Prescott's  "Conquest  of  Mexico, " 
Carlyle's  Essays,  Borrow's  "Bible  in  Spain,"  Channing  on 
Slavery  and  Temperance,    Young's   "Night  Thoughts,"  Shake- 


64  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

speare,  Cowper,  Goethe  and  Schiller,  and  the  stylists,  Addison, 
Goldsmith  and  Irving. 

For  recreation  he  walked,  went  on  fishing  and  botanizing  ex- 
cursions, visited  friends  within  reach  of  the  college.  He  had 
relatives  near  Carhsle  and  Waynesboro.  These  he  visited  quite 
often.  Social  fellowship  always  refreshed  him.  He  had  a  genius 
for  friendship. 

On  his  way  home  at  the  end  of  his  Freshman  year  he  attended 
the  commencement  of  Pennsylvania  College  at  Gettysburg.  He 
made  comparisons,  of  course,  which  show  his  pride  in  his  own 
College:  "If  I  am  misled  I  know  not,  but  in  my  humble  opinion 
they  did  not  acquit  themselves  as  well  as  our  graduates." 

During  the  spring  vacation  of  his  Junior  year,  he  took  a  driv- 
ing trip  by  way  of  Hagerstown  and  Frederick  to  Washington, 
and  he  had  the  joy  of  holding  the  reins  of  the  brisk  span.  P.  C. 
Prugh  and  Samuel  Mease  were  with  him.  He  there  attended 
the  theatre  for  the  second  time  in  his  life.  He  was  pleased  with 
the  ''Fall  of  Tarquin,"  "though  if  weighed  in  the  gospel  balances 
it  would  doubtless  be  found  wanting."  Several  days  were 
spent  in  sight-seeing,  but  the  Senate  was  the  place  of  supreme  at- 
traction. It  was  the  time  of  the  famous  "Compromise  Meas- 
ures" and  he  afterward  wrote  delightfully  of  the  "Statesmen  of 
the  Old  School,"  whom  he  saw  and  heard: 

"Tom  Benton  of  giant  form  and  thundering  voice,  the  slender 
form  of  Clay,  the  massive  head  and  drowsy  look  of  Webster, 
the  gray  eyes  and  spare  face  of  the  scholarly  Seward,  the  fairy 
like  form  and  glib  tongue  of  Foote,  Hale  stout  and  stalwart,  Cass 
dignified  and  venerable,  and  Filmore  the  courteous  Speaker." 

The  Journal  carefully  and  quite  regularly  kept  for  nearly 
three  years  is  silent  for  five  months  prior  to  graduation  day. 
Senior  vacation  month  was  spent  at  home.  We  have  a  letter 
written  then  to  his  beloved  friend  Rust,  recently  gone  to  a  pastor- 
ate in  Cincinnati.     From  it  we  take  a  few  paragraphs: 

Lancaster,  August  19th,  1851. 
Dear  Herman: 

Your  last  was  received  last  week.  But  how  is  this?  It  strikes 
me  your  letters  come  very  tardily.  It  tries  a  person's  patience 
to  have  his  expectations  on  tiptoe  for  weeks. 


MARSHALL   COLLEGE  65 

"Human  nature  is  human  nature"  all  the  world  over,  after 
all.  When  a  small  clod  of  it  is  shifted  from  some  low  bottom 
land  up  to  an  eminence,  it  often  forgets  even  to  look  back  to  see 
whether  there  are  others  following.  When  folks  get  to  be  big 
they  naturally  sleep  a  little  longer  and  imagine  duty  to  be  inex- 
orably severe  at  the  expense  of  affectionate  ties  which  friend- 
ship is  so  loath  to  break.  Still  I  won't  be  cruel  nor  uncharitable. 
I  don't  believe  that  you  are  capable  of  faithlessness.  Often 
when  moaning  in  spirit  over  evanescent  joys  and  the  absence 
of  kindred  spirits,  memory  and  that  invisible  source  of  friendly 
intercourse,  sympathy,  whisper  that  ties  which  shall  endure  in 
the  world  beyond  cannot  be  broken  by  the  conditions  of  time  and 
space.  Well,  so  be  it,  Herman.  The  Lord  prepare  us  for  those 
blissful  regions  where  the  communion  of  saints  will  be  unsullied 
and  unhampered  by  the  clogs  of  mortality.  Your  letter,  like 
all  epistles  which  emanate  from  you,  was  perused  and  reperused 
with  the  greatest  avidity.  Am  happy  to  hear  that  the  clouds 
overhead  are  not  quite  so  portentous  after  all.  Hope  that  you 
will  be  eminently  efficent  in  your  calling. 

Mr.  Harbaugh's  people  seem  determined  to  proceed  in  the 
erection  of  a  new  church.  I  think  the  amount  of  funds  at  their 
command  will  fully  warrant  them  to  do  so.  The  old  Dominie 
is  still  flourishing.  If  his  mind  keeps  pace  with  his  body  his 
impetuous  progression  will  soon  roll  him  on  to  the  sofa  of  D.  D. 
independence.  He  is  a  fine,  whole  souled  man,  and  of  course 
according  to  your  philosophy,  form  and  contents  are  inseparable 
and  commensurate.  Mr.  Keyes'  church  [St.  Paul's]  will  be 
dedicated  at  the  meeting  of  Synod.  The  neatest  church  in  Lan- 
caster, and  one  of  the  handsomest  spires  I  ever  laid  eyes  on. 

Our  folks  are  all  as  usual  except  mother.  Her  health  is  failing 
very  much.  I  fear  her  lungs  are  affected.  She  has  a  very  an- 
noying cough.  May  the  Lord  restore  her  again  if  it  be  His  will. 
Although  she  has  reached  three  score  and  ten,  the  legal  summit 
of  man's  life,  it  would  still  be  hard  to  lose  such  a  dear  friend. 
Few  men  have  been  favored  with  better  mothers  than  we  have 
been.  Her  untiring  zeal  to  imbue  our  youthful  minds  early 
with  love  and  filial  obedience  to  God  can  never  be  remunerated 
in  this  world.  Her  prayers  and  tears  in  behalf  of  her  family 
during  the  tender  days  of  childhood  and  in  maturer  years  are 
the  richest  legacy  a  kind  Heaven  could  have  bestowed  upon  us. 
I  trust,  nay  I  know,  that  God  will  not  leave  so  many  sleepless 
nights,  so  many  hours  of  maternal  solicitude  unrewarded.  If 
there  be  such  a  place  as  heaven  I  know  she  will  get  there.  Oh! 
may  we  all  meet  around  the  throne  of  God,  a  family  united  on 
earth,  undivided  in  heaven.     Father  and  Mother  and  brothers 


66  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

all  desire  to  be  kindly  remembered  to  you.  You  cannot  con- 
ceive how  frequently  and  anxiously  they  all  inquire  about  you. 
Well,  I  suppose  it  is  time  for  me  to  stop.  A  while  ago  I  was 
lampooning  Prugh  with  all  the  vigor  of  a  merciless  judge;  now 
I  am  weeping.  What  a  jfit  emblem  of  mortal  life.  Joy  and 
sorrow,  rejoicing  and  weeping.  Do  write  soon  again.  Finished 
my  graduation  speech  last  week.  I  expect  to  be  at  Mercersburg 
in  three  weeks  from  tomorrow. 

I  am  still,  dear  Herman, 

Yours  in  the  Lord, 

Ben  J.  Bausman. 

Prof.  Wm.  M.  Nevin,  Mr.  Bausman's  teacher  in  English, 
wrote  him  August  17,  1851:  "My  dear  friend:  I  have  read 
your  speech  with  much  pleasure.  I  have  seen  nothing  in  it  which 
it  struck  me  should  be  stricken  out — 'nothing  extenuated  or 
aught  set  down  in  malice.'  It  transcends,  to  be  sure,  the  ten 
minutes  by  a  few  minutes  more,  but  if  as  well  spoken  as  written, 
it  will  certainly  hold  the  attention  of  the  audience  untired.  Please 
commit  it  well  that  you  may  do  it  full  justice  in  the  delivery." 

Commencement  day  was  on  September  10th  and  the  subject 
of  Mr.  Bausman's  graduating  oration  was,  "Truth  the  Crown  of 
Thought."  "It  was  a  very  creditable  performance,"  says  his 
classmate,  Daniel  J.  Neff.  His  brother  Philip,  who  was  present, 
said  he  got  through  with  his  oration  very  well,  but  the  self-con- 
scious performer  had  this  remark:  "When  I  was  about  half 
through  my  oration,  I  halted,  not  knowing  another  sentence, 
but  after  a  short  pause,  I  could  proceed  again." 

Fifty  years  afterward  at  the  Franklin  and  Marshall  Commence- 
ment, Dr.  Bausman  facetiously  referred  to  the  event: 

I  do  not  believe  the  audience  understood  what  I  was  driving 
at.  I  am  sure  I  did  not.  As  I  had  to  divide  my  energies  with 
the  Glee  Club  on  the  choir  loft,  and  the  duties  of  graduating 
with  the  class  on  the  stage,  I  appeared  to  great  disadvantage, 
for  I  narrowly  escaped  a  breakdown  in  the  midst  of  my  pon- 
derous subject. 

In  his  Journal  he  wrote: 

This  day  forms  an  epoch  in  my  brief  history.  Under  the  kind 
providence  of  God,  I  have  at  length  reached  the  goal  of  my  col- 


MARSHALL    COLLEGE  6/ 

legiate  career.  How  strange,  five  and  one-half  years  seem  but  a 
speck  of  the  past.  How  often  would  I  have  fain  stopped  by  the 
way,  had  not  the  Lord  beckoned  me  still  onward.  His  name 
shall  have  the  praise. 

"Here  I'll  raise  mine  Ebenezer; 
Hither  by  Thy  help  I've  come; 
And  I  hope  by  Thy  good  pleasure, 
Safely  to  arrive  at  home." 

Four  years  after  graduation,  he  wrote  one  of  his  earliest  ar- 
ticles for  the  Guardian  on  "Titles  and  Toys,"  in  which  he  spoke 
contemptuously  of  the  diploma  which  gave  the  title  A.  B. — "for 
our  incipient  greatness  and  cost  us  five  dollars.  We  value  it 
highly  for  the  autographs  of  the  subscribers  but  beyond  that  it 
is  good  for  nothing.  It  was  the  dearest  piece  of  furniture  we 
ever  bought,  and  moreover  told  things  which  are  not  true." 

These  words  about  himself  are  not  to  be  taken  too  seriously, 
for,  as  always  when  he  spoke  touching  himself,  it  was  depreciat- 
ingly and  in  this  particular  article  he  was  protesting  against  the 
indiscriminate  conferring  of  degrees  by  College  Boards. 

Benjamin  Bausman  was  twenty-seven  years  of  age  when  he 
was  graduated  from  Marshall  College.  He  profited  immensely 
by  his  academic  course.  He  went  to  college  with  a  definite 
object  in  view  and  he  kept  it  always  before  him.  He  received 
a  broad  and  rich  culture;  he  learned  to  think;  he  was  a  receptive 
disciple  of  the  great  teachers  he  was  privileged  to  sit  under,  and 
was  always  unspeakably  grateful  for  their  service  to  him. 

While  Bausman  was  at  Marshall  College  Dr.  John  W.  Nevin 
was  President  and  Professor  of  Intellectual  and  Moral  Philos- 
ophy; William  M.  Nevin,  A.  M.,  was  Professor  of  Ancient  Lang- 
uages and  Belles  Lettres;  Dr.  Philip  Schaff  was  Professor  of  Es- 
thetics and  German  Literature;  Traill  Green,  M.  D.,  was  Profes- 
sor of  Natural  Science;  Theodore  Appel,  A.  M.,  and  Thomas  D. 
Baird,  Esq.,  A.  M.,  were  the  Professors  of  Mathematics  and  Me- 
chanical Philosophy  and  the  latter  also  of  Political  Economy. 

In  a  miscellaneous  note-book  we  find  the  summaries  of  Baus- 
man's  expenses  for  the  four  years  in  college  and  they  seem  to  be 
complete.     The  sum  total  given  is  $1,551.00. 

In  the  latter  part  of  his  course  he  remarked  on  the  "sad  de- 


68  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

clension"  in  the  piety  of  many  students.  "As  for  myself  I  feel 
very  sensibly  the  lamentable  change  I  have  experienced  during 
my  course  of  study  thus  far."  The  cause  of  it  he  claimed  was, 
"want  of  watching  and  prayer,"  because  the  "sentinels  around 
the  camp"  were  not  on  the  alert  against  the  enemy;  "we  are 
not  properly  sensible  to  our  liability  to  fall  or  retrograde."  Yet 
we  feel  sure  that  one  who  could  speak  thus  of  his  moral  foes  was 
not  asleep.  This  attitude  indicated  rather  increasing  sensitive- 
ness, clearer  ideals  and  normal  growth  in  the  godly  life,  with 
humility  and  sanity. 

With  his  student  friends,  Samuel  Mease  and  P.  C.  Prugh,  he 
took  a  trip  to  Ohio  and  Indiana  immediately  after  graduation 
and  visited  relatives  and  friends  there.  His  letters  to  Herman 
Rust  at  Cincinnati  are  the  only  record  we  have  of  this  journey. 

Strawton,  Hamilton  Co.,  l^.>.,  Oct.  10,  1851. 
Dear  Herman: 

I  hail  from  a  new  world,  a  world  possessing  many  Edenlike 
charms.  Would  that  you  could  be  with  me  to  enjoy  the  artless 
munificence  of  Dame  Nature,  for  the  power  of  communicating 
our  enjoyment  to  some  kindred  spirit  always  enhances  our  pleas- 
ure. I  had  no  occasion  to  be  in  such  a  fidget  when  I  left  you 
on  Monday.  The  boat  did  not  leave  until  5  o'clock  P.  M.,  an 
egregious  imposition,  that  merits  the  denunciations  of  an  out- 
raged public.  But,  as  we  often  find  it, — good  resulted  from  evil. 
About  an  hour  before  we  set  sail,  as  I  was  standing  at  the  stern 
of  the  boat,  supporting  my  head,  feverish  with  impatience,  on 
my  elbow,  pondering  over  the  pollution  of  the  soul  that  could 
be  guilty  of  such  faithlessness,  someone  called  me  by  name  right 
back  of  me,  when  I  espied  David  Dorwart  and  family  just  coming 
on  board,  old  tried  friends  formerly  of  Lancaster,  more  latterly 
from  St.  Louis,  but  at  present  on  their  way  to  Iowa.  This  af- 
forded a  happy  relief  from  previous  dejection.  The  remainder 
of  the  evening  was  spent  in  pleasant  jovial  chat.  They  had 
been  to  see  my  parents  shortly  before  they  left  Lancaster. 

Our  boat  was  tolerably  pleasant.  Got  into  some  kind  of  a  bed, 
such  as  it  was.  About  four  in  the  morning  the  captain  unloaded 
me  upon  the  bleak  shores  of  the  Ohio  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Madison.  I  felt  my  way  through  the  dark  to  some  inn,  em- 
ploying the  organs  with  which  nature  has  blessed  me  rather 
extensively.  After  a  good  deal  of  thumping  some  strange  look- 
ing genius  presented  himself  with  eyes  closed,  "his  whole  coun- 


MARSHALL    COLLEGE  69 

tenance  contracted  into  one  single  brow  of  woe,"  mute  as  a 
hobgoblin,  but  he  could  not  terrify  this  child.  I  was  bound  to 
have  possession  of  part  of  the  premises.  I  laid  down  on  the 
tender  side  of  an  uncushioned  sofa.  In  less  than  five  minutes 
I  was  feasting  myself  on  elysian  joys,  running  through  the  streets 
of  I  don't  know  where,  with  Thomas  at  my  elbow  in  quest  of  a 
Catholic  Church.  Methought  we  found  the  church,  made  our 
wonted  observations,  until  a  little  auditor  of  the  canine  species 
defiled  the  sanctuary  with  his  unsanctified  vocal  organs.  Some 
of  the  good  brethren  called  upon  you  to  eject  the  intruder.  Of 
course,  with  your  characteristic  obedience  and  with  your  usual 
clerical  gravity  you  gave  "Pink"  a  twirl  by  the  ears,  practically 
enforcing  mortification  of  the  flesh.  Next  followed  the  opening 
and  deciphering  of  a  number  of  letters.  Can  you  conceive  of  a 
happier  employment?  But  soon  the  hustle  of  our  grinning  cus- 
tomer convinced  me  that  I  was  but  dreaming.  How  sad  the 
change! — Reached  Indianapolis  with  the  cars  about  noon.  By 
4  P.  M.,  the  time  I  '.it  for  Nobleville,  I  felt  sick,  wretchedly  sick, 
sick,  far  from  friends  and  home,  sick,  without  one  friendly  heart 
to  throb  in  sj^mpathy  for  such  a  cheerless  mortal.  Need  I  say 
that  I  longed  for  you?  At  Nobleville  I  called  at  a  tavern  for  a 
little  sweet  wine,  thinking  that  it  would  exert  a  sanative  influence. 
The  fellow,  surly  as  a  dog,  said  as  he  would  have  to  any  toper, 
"Can't  have  any  liquor  here,  sir."  I  endeavored  to  convince 
the  man  that  I  was  in  a  sober  mood,  and  wanted  a  sip  in  the  form 
of  medicine.  I  finally  stepped  into  a  drug  store,  and  called  for 
a  "remedial  horn."  I  inferred  from  the  expression  on  the  "mon's 
countenance"  that  he  regarded  me  as  a  victim  of  "dehrium 
tremens." 

This  is  culling  experience  from  real  life!!  Dearly  bought,  a 
precious  treasure,  buried  in  an  uninviting  soil,  to  which  fond 
memory  will  often  recur  unfondly.  Along  the  way  I  became 
acquainted  with  a  gentleman  and  his  lady  residing  near  where 
I  was  going  to,  and  they  very  kindly  offered  to  take  me  some 
seven  miles  on  a  coach  with  them.  About  dusk  a  common  mud 
wagon,  springless  as  a  fence-rail,  stopped  before  the  door  for  me. 
Upon  examination  I  found  it  pretty  heavily  laden  with  store 
boxes,  and  moreover  a  driver  and  four  passengers  besides  my 
little  self.  With  a  sick  head  and  heart  I  mounted  the  so-called 
coach  with  slow  but  reluctant  steps  and  sat  myself  down  on  the 
soft  side  of  a  store-box.  When  I  left  the  cars  I  flattered  myself 
that  riding  on  a  rail  was  over  for  one  day  at  least,  but  I  soon 
discovered  my  error.  Here  however  the  coach  crossed  the  rails 
at  an  angle  of  ninety  degrees.  Pshaw,  my  pen  refuses  to  serve 
in  such  an  unpleasant  narration.     After  a  very  fatiguing  ride 


70  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

we  reached  a  little  village  several  miles  from  here.  I  determined 
to  subject  myself  to  no  further  suffering  that  day.  Our  coach 
drove  up  to  the  hotel  of  the  place,  and  thus  afforded  me  a  chance 
to  escape  from  such  a  terrific  series  of  "heart-rending"  thumps 
and  jolts.  After  I  had  engaged  my  lodging  with  the  landlord, 
I  conversed  with  him  on  some  of  the  most  striking  news  of  the 
times.  In  the  meanwhile  half  of  the  room  was  covered  with 
mattresses,  and  men,  women  and  children  were  made  to  take 
charge  of  them  "pell  mell."  The  sight  aroused  my  languishing 
energies,  and  I  commenced  to  debate  the  question  with  myseff 
whether  any  argument,  physical  or  moral,  nay  whether  even 
dire  necessity  itself,  could  force  me  into  such  quarters.  Finally 
to  relieve  my  anxiety  I  put  the  matter  to  a  test.  Conceive  my 
joy  when  I  was  ushered  into  a  comfortable  little  room,  myself 
the  sole  occupant.  With  a  heart  throbbing  with  devout  grati- 
tude to  God  for  His  sustaining  grace  and  protection  during  a 
day  never  to  be  forgotten,  I  committed  "my  all"  into  His  hands, 
and  resigned  my  wearied  limbs  into  the  arms  of  "tired  nature's 
sweet  restorer,  balmy  sleep." 

Reached  this  place  Thursday  morning.  None  of  my  friends 
recognized  me.  Still  feel  somewhat  unwell.  I  find  that  uncle 
and  two  of  his  sons  have  gone  over  to  the  Evangelicals.  He  told 
me  last  evening,  however,  that  he  would  never  have  left  our 
church  if  this  destitute  region  had  been  properly  supphed  with 
the  means  of  grace.  I  met  a  good  old  man  yesterday  who  used 
to  work  for  my  father,  but  now  has  a  large  respectable  family,  and 
is  in  good  circumstances.  He  exclaimed,  "Why  is  it  that  the  G.  R. 
Church  does  not  send  a  minister  to  us?"  and  then  named  at  least 
a  dozen  families  in  his  immediate  vicinity,  anxiously  waiting  for 
someone  to  minister  unto  them  in  holy  things. 

There  is  a  union  church  near  here,  Lutheran  and  Reformed, 
but  our  interest  is  never  represented.  And  some  of  the  Lutheran 
ministers  that  were  here  are  as  mean  men,  as  impertinent  rascals, 
as  ever  defiled  the  sanctuary  of  God.  One  man  has  been  among 
our  members  trying  to  persuade  them  that  the  G.  R.  Church 
is  no  longer  a  distinct  church  organization;  that  she  had  re- 
linquished all  the  features  of  the  sacraments  which  are  essential 
to  her  existence  as  a  church.  I  wish  I  could  meet  the  fellow. 
I  am  opposed  to  fighting  the  battles  of  the  Lord  with  carnal 
weapons,  but  if  I  could  not  convince  such  an  infamous  rogue  by 
dint  of  moral  arguments,  I  would  feel  very  much  inclined  to  bring 
my  muscular  endowments  to  bear  upon  him,  sensibly  if  not 
cogently.  I  suppose  your  letter  is  in  the  ofl&ce  at  Nobleville  for 
me.  It  being  eight  miles  distant  I  could  not  get  it  as  yet.  My 
cousin  is  going  in  this  afternoon  when  I  expect  to  get  it.     If  you 


MARSHALL   COLLEGE  71 

wish'to  leave  for  the  East  in  the  early  part  of  next  week,  I  will 
come  directly  on  to  Cincinnati.  If  not,  I  will  visit  some  friends 
in  Wayne  County,  this  state,  before  I  return. 

Indla-Napolis,  October  13th,  1851. 
Dear  Herman: 

Have  received  no  letter  from  you  to  this  day.  What  shall  I 
do?  I  think  I  shall  go  to  Milton,  Wayne  County,  Ind.,  tomorrow 
and  visit  some  friends  in  that  region  of  country.  The  Lord 
willing  I  will  then  get  to  Cincinnati  on  this  day  a  week,  and  leave 
the  next  day  for  home  if  you  possibly  can  get  ready.  I  would 
come  forthwith,  but  as  you  did  not  expect  to  leave  before  then 
when  I  saw  you  last,  I  deem  the  above  plan  more  expedient. 

I  left  my  uncle's  this  morning  in  company  with  a  friend  of 
mine,  and  arrived  here  about  half  an  hour  ago  (7  A.  M.). 

If  only  you  could  be  with  me.  Last  night  I  had  a  glorious 
time.  Just  think.  Stopped  at  a  place,  where  all  comforts  of 
parlor,  dining  room,  nursery,  kitchen,  etc.,  were  combined  in  one 
single  room,  and  that  a  room  of  ordinary  size.  The  only  place  to 
admit  light  was  a  small  opening  filled  with  six  window  panes. 
I  was  all  night  at  this  place,  bear  in  mind,  and  slept  there  too. 
Slept  in  the  same  room  with  the  lady  of  the  house,  some  five  or 
six  children,  a  couple  that  were  married  the  evening  previous — 
the  bride  and  bridegroom.  Oh — None  of  your  common  folks 
either,  but  they  are  among  the  "elite"  of  the  neighborhood.  The 
lady  is  somewhat  after  the  pattern  of  Robert  Burns's  Highland 
Mary,  and  her  husband  is  a  respectable  young  man.  Good  living 
we  had  withal  sweet  potatoes  and  chickens.  This  is  studying 
human  nature  with  a  vengeance.  You  may  talk  about  your 
travels  in  the  "auld  counthry,"  your  tossing  on  Lake  Erie,  and 
your  ex-Milk-walking,  [a  reference  to  a  recent  financial  venture 
of  Rust's  at  Milwaukee]  but  "gude  mon,"  what  is  all  that  to  my 
experience  during  the  last  four  and  twenty  hours?  I  have  often 
wished  to  get  a  glimpse  of  pioneer  life.  At  last  I  have  succeeded. 
I  have  seen  the  elephant.  Ye  men  who  flourish  amid  an  abund- 
ance of  worldly  splendor,  ''passing  rich  with  forty  pounds  a  year, " 
disdain  to  mingle  with  these  children  of  nature.  I  would  not 
have  exchanged  that  little  cabin  last  night  for  the  most  gorgeously 
furnished  hotel  east  or  west  of  the  Alleghanies.  But  in  haste. 
Affectionately  Yours, 

Benny. 

This  is  the  Journal  record  for  October  24,  1851:  "Returned 
home  this  morning  after  a  journey  of  six  weeks  to  the  West,  I 
saw  much,  felt  much,  enjoyed  myself  much  and  I  trust  was 
profited  much." 


CHAPTER  III 

The  Seminary  Year— 1851-1852 

BEN*JAMIN  BAUSMAN  spent  about  one  year  in  the  Theo- 
logical Seminary  at  Mercersburg.  In  those  days  the 
theological  course  was  not  so  clearly  outlined  as  it  is  now. 
There  was  no  definite  graduation  with  the  issuing  of  a  diploma. 
The  students  passed  their  time  in  resident  study,  and  then  left 
to  enter  the  ministry  when  they  were  so  minded.  Some  stayed 
for  two  years;  some  remained  only  a  few  weeks  or  months. 

Mr.  Bausman  desired  to  take  the  second  year,  but  did  not, 
for  reasons  which  will  appear.  Dr.  Nevin  and  Dr.  Schaff  were 
his  professors.  He  took  their  lectures,  but  did  a  large  amount 
of  general  theological  reading,  and  much  thinking  and  discuss- 
ing of  the  great  religious  questions  with  his  fellow  students;  but, 
best  of  all  the  privileges  that  can  come  to  a  student,  he  enjoyed 
the  intimate  fellowship  of  his  great,  stimulating  teachers,  with 
whom  he  could  in  perfect  frankness  discuss  his  difficulties  and 
have  the  sympathy  of  their  great  souls. 

Early  in  this  year  came  an  experience  of  great  moment  in  the 
mellowing  and  enriching  of  his  soul, — the  illness  and  death  of 
his  mother.  When  he  retm-ned  from  his  Western  trip  he  "found 
poor  mother  prostrated  by  disease."  At  the  opening  of  the 
seminary  year  in  the  beginning  of  November  he  returned  to 
Mercersburg,  but  with  evident  reluctance,  for  his  mother  was 
still  unwell.  He  was  advised  to  prosecute  his  studies,  however, 
because  she  might  linger  all  winter. 

In  three  weeks  he  was  hastily  summoned  home  because  of  her 
"speedy  decline."  His  Journal  records  this  entry  regarding  her 
illness  and  death,  which  came  on  the  18th  of  December: 

When  I  reached  home,  I  concluded  not  to  leave  her  before  her 
final  deliverance.  My  experience  during  the  four  weeks  she  sur- 
vived was  mingled  with  joy  and  grief.     I  spent  much  time  with 

72 


THE    SEMINARY   TEAR  73 

her.  She  delighted  to  speak  of  her  death,  of  the  sufferings  of 
Christ,  and  the  sweet  peace  she  derived  from  the  assurance  that 
he  suffered  for  her.  How  blessed  to  have  such  a  parent!  Thus 
has  gone  my  best  earthly  friend,  a  treasure  in  Heaven  which  will 
draw  my  heart  thither.  O,  how  happy  that  she  thus  passed 
away.  The  poor  have  lost  a  good  friend.  Many  evinced  their 
sorrow  at  her  funeral.  She  sympathized  tenderly  with  all  the 
distressed.  Her  piety  showed  itself  in  actions.  To  her  I  am  in- 
debted, under  God,  for  what  I  am.  Her  tender  admonitions 
when  a  child,  her  unwearied  zeal  in  directing  me  in  the  path  of 
holiness,  have  given  my  life  a  direction  in  favor  of  Christ  and 
His  cause.  O,  for  grace  to  remain  faithful  in  the  Master's  service 
and  for  a  happy  reunion  with  her  at  "home."  She  was  buried 
on  Sunday,  December  21st,  at  ten  o'clock.  Notwithstanding 
the  unpleasant  cold  weather,  she  had  a  large  funeral.  Mr. 
Harbaugh  preached  on  Jeremiah,  "Weep  not  for  the  dead." 
Now  the  cold  wind  moans  heedlessly  over  her  grave.  A  Mother 
in  Heaven!    Blessed  thought! 

He  found  relief  during  this  trying  time  in  several  letters  to  his 
sympathizing  friend,  Herman  Rust,  of  which  a  few  extracts 
follow: 

Lancaster,  Dec.  3rd,  1851. 
Dear  Herman: 

Your  last  is  before  me.  It  is  like  oil  of  joy  on  a  bleeding  heart. 
This  is  a  queer  time  to  date  a  letter,  think  you?  Two  o'clock 
in  the  morning!  Mother  is  very  low.  "Her  sand  of  life  is 
fast  ebbing  to  its  last  finish."  Her  heart,  "still  like  a  muffled 
drum,  is  beating,  funeral  dirges  to  the  grave."  How  true! 
Surely  poets  are  the  interpreters  of  the  human  heart.  They 
seem  to  feel  all  the  ills  and  joys  of  their  poor  fellows.  Now  she 
is  passing  up  and  down  the  banks  of  Jordan  eager  to  "launch 
away"  for  the  "Canaan  we  love."  Just  think!  A  soul  impa- 
tient to  plume  its  wings  for  worlds  of  uncreated  bliss!  A  soul 
standing  on  the  Pisgah  of  faith,  and  having  a  prospect  of  the 
blissful  fields  of  the  promised  land !  A  soul  flying  around  against 
the  walls  of  its  cell  eager  to  "fly  away  and  be  at  rest."  A  soul 
longing  to  be  from  its  clay  undressed  that  it  might  go  home! 
Pardon  me  for  chirping  in  these  plaintive  strains.  Out  of  the 
abundance  of  the  heart  the  mouth  speaketh. 

Lancaster,  Dec.  19th,  1851. 
Dear  Herman: 

Mother  is  dead.     So  be  it.  Lord. 

She  expired  yesterday  at  noon.  When  I  penned  your's  of 
yesterday  morning,  I  thought  the  struggles  of  death  were  per- 


74  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 


commencing.  She  had  a  clear  mind  to  the  very  last. 
About  10  o'clock  she  said  we  should  all  pray  for  her.  At  11 
o'clock  she  asked  whether  we  had  taken  the  feathers  out  from 
under  her,  which  is  generally  done  before  people  expire,  under 
the  impression  that  they  die  easier.  Shortly  before  her  last  she 
said  if  only  she  would  not  take  another  coughing  spell. 

About  11:30  o'clock  we  saw  that  she  was  dying  and  lo,  she 
fell  asleep,  sweetly  and  calmly,  like  an  infant  in  the  arms  of  its 
mother,  almost  without  a  struggle.  I  was  reminded  at  the  time 
of  those  touchingly  beautiful  lines: 

"Hark!   they   whisper — angels   say- 
Sister  Spirit  come  away!" 

I  almost  feel  like  David  after  his  child  had  died.  I  will  not 
return  to  the  Seminary  until  after  New  Year. 

The  solemn  and  trying  experience,  never  to  be  forgotten  by 
the  prospective  preacher,  came  to  Mr.  Bausman  in  the 
spring  vacation.  He  made  the  following  record  of  it  in  his 
Journal : 

Preached  my  first  sermon,  Sunday  evening,  April  25th,  1852, 
in  the  English  language  before  Rev.  H,  Harbaugh's  congregation 
in  Lancaster  on  Is.  40:  9,  "Behold  your  God."  The  services 
were  held  on  the  second  floor  of  the  G.  R.  School  house,  which 
has  been  converted  into  a  place  of  worship.  The  room  was 
crowded  and  the  audience  attentive  throughout.  I  felt  some- 
what hampered  owing  to  a  want  of  room  in  the  pulpit,  still  I 
spoke  with  considerable  ease.  How  precious  is  the  help  of  the 
Lord  in  such  a  time  of  need!  Thus  have  I  mounted  the  walls  of 
Zion  for  the  first  time  in  the  name  of  the  Triune  God.  He  is 
my  only  hope  for  the  future. 

A  touching  recollection  of  this  occasion  he  wrote  of  twenty 
years  later.  A  drunken  Swabian  tramp  who  frequently  visited 
the  Bausman  home  took  a  special  interest  in  Benjamin,  particu- 
larly after  he  became  a  student. 

During  vacation  he  would  visit  me  and  ask  many  questions 
about  the  progress  of  my  studies,  sometimes  trying  to  help  me 
with  an  array  of  scripture  verses.  He  seldom  went  to  church. 
Only  once  I  saw  him  there.  It  was  when  I  preached  my  first 
sermon  to  a  congregation  of  our  neighbors.     He  came   to   hear 


THE   SEMINARY   YEAR  75 

his  friend.  I  saw  him  sitting  in  the  back  seat  near  the  door, 
looking  so  sorrowful.  Save  my  relatives,  there  were  few  people 
in  that  congregation  for  whom  my  heart  yearned  more  tenderly, 
and  no  face  among  them  remains  so  vividly  impressed  on  my 
memory  as  that  of  my  vagrant-friend. 

He  wrote  later  of  having  lost  the  thread  of  his  discom-se  in 
this  first  sermon: 

Vainly  and  somewhat  noisily  I  strove  to  teach  I  scarcely  knew 
what.  As  is  usual  in  such  mishaps,  what  the  sermon  lacked  in 
sense  it  made  up  in  sound.  It  was  an  awkward  ministration. 
I  still  feel  like  blushing  at  the  thought  of  it. 

The  next  week  I  met  one  of  Harbaugh's  members,  by  no  means 
an  ignorant  man.     He  said  to  me: 

''That  was  a  deep  sermon  you  preached  on  Sunday  Our 
pastor  could  not  begin  to  preach  a  sermon  like  that.  It  is  not 
in  him.  He  can  preach  a  plain,  practical  discourse,  but  in  depth 
nothing  to  compare  with  yours.  [That,  I  thought,  was  just  the 
trouble,  too  deep  for  me  to  touch  the  bottom.]  Him  I  can 
understand  without  any  trouble.  I  understood  very  little  of 
your  sermon  [neither  did  I,  methought];  but  I  could  see  that 
it  was  more  able  than  any  our  pastor  could  preach." 

Knowing  Mr.  Bausman's  disposition  to  minimize  and  jest 
at  his  owTi  doings,  we  cannot  take  these  words  at  their  face  value. 
His  brother  Philip,  who  followed  all  his  movements  with  pride 
and  admiration,  regarded  the  sermon  as  a  creditable  effort.  He 
evidently  delivered  it  without  the  manuscript,  but  it  was  care- 
fully written  out  in  full.  The  neatly  written  manuscript  is  now 
yellow  with  age.  It  is  a  sermon  that  would  reflect  credit  on  any 
seminarian.  It  reveals  his  characteristic  clear,  easy  flowing 
style,  abounds  in  pertinent  scripture  quotations,  and  shows  that 
comprehensive,  simple  analysis  which  one  saw  in  all  his  ad- 
dresses. His  outline  was:  Behold  your  God.  I.  In  Nature; 
II.  In  His  Word;  III.  In  the  Redemption  through  Christ. 

We  think  we  have  seen  in  the  first  texts  and  sermons  of  min- 
isters what  is  generally  quite  conspicuous  in  their  personal  and 
spiritual  make  up.  No  text  of  all  Scripture  could  more  con- 
cisely express  what  was  deepest  and  all  pervasive  in  Mr.  Baus- 
man's consciousness  than  the  call  to  ''Behold  your  God." 

He  wrote  to  Rust: 


76  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAIJSMAN 

After  a  great  deal  of  reluctance  I  preached  my  first  sermon 
outside  of  Mercersburg  before  Mr.  Harbaugh's  people  on  Sunday- 
evening  last.  Will  have  to  preach  at  Millersville  and  Centre 
next  Lord's  Day.  I  did  not  expect  all  this  and  therefore  left 
Mercersburg  without  special  license  from  Dr.  Schaff.  Their 
importunity  and  promise  to  answer  for  the  consequences  (Har- 
baugh  and  Reber)  was  the  main  cause  of  this  my  seeming  ir- 
regularity. 

At  Conestoga  Centre  the  first  sermon  was  repeated. 

At  Millersville  to  a  crowded  and  attentive  audience  he  preached 
on  Matt.  9:  12,  "They  that  are  whole  need  not  the  physician, 
but  they  that  are  sick. " 

The  following  extracts  from  letters  to  Rust  show  his  outlook, 
feelings,  purposes,  movements,  mental  temper,  etc.  It  should 
be  borne  in  mind  in  reading  these  earlier  letters  to  Rust  that  the 
intimacy  was  most  cordial — a  David  and  Jonathan  friendship. 
He  expressed  himself  so  freely  only  to  his  closest  friend,  and 
never  dreamt  that  any  other  should  see  his  letters.  The  ex- 
uberance and  wordiness  is  just  what  one  would  expect  in  a  bril- 
liant, healthy  young  man,  facing  his  career  with  high  hopes. 

Lancaster,  April  27,  1852. 
Harbaugh  has  been  at  me  ever  since  my  return  to  go  to  Lewis- 
burg.  He  says  those  people  would  wait  for  me  till  Fall.  I  con- 
fess that  I  felt  very  reluctant  to  go  to  a  place  where  I  must  preach 
every  Sunday  to  the  same  congregation,  and  that  a  pretty  in- 
telligent one.  I  had  always  expected  and  in  fact  desired  to  com- 
mence with  some  country  charge,  composed  of  several  congrega- 
tions, where  I  would  have  a  good  deal  of  stirring  and  riding  about 
to  do.  I  look  upon  this  as  a  very  important  provision  to  insure 
my  future  usefulness  to  the  church.  As  a  general  thing  my 
health  is  as  good  as  usual,  but  I  feel  by  no  means  certain  that 
my  system  would  bear  up  under  very  close  confinement  for  a 
very  long  period.  An  impaired  state  of  health  is  so  common 
among  ministers  generally,  that  a  person  feels  very  loath  to  im- 
pose upon  himself  duties  which  might  produce  a  similar  result. 
But  then  we  do  not  always  know  how  much  we  can  endure,  or 
what  the  Lord  may  require  us  to  bear  for  his  cause.  I  must 
confess  that  the  urgency  of  the  good  Bro.  during  the  last  week 
has  somewhat  unsettled  me.  He  told  me  this  morning  that 
they  expect  to  unite  a  country  congregation  with  the  Lewisburg 
charge.     In  that  event  they  would  require  one  English  sermon 


THE   SEMINARY   TEAR  77 

every  Sunday,  and  one  German  sermon  every  two  weeks,  and 
on  the  intervening  Sunday  services  would  be  expected  in  the 
country.  This  would  make  less  preaching  to  the  same  audience. 
Harbaugh  wishes  me  not  to  commit  myself  in  any  other  direc- 
tion until  I  hear  more  about  them.  Herman,  what  shall  I  do? 
I  hope,  at  least,  I  am  wiUing  to  go  where  the  Lord  directs,  but 
how  difficult  it  is  sometimes  to  ascertain  His  will  distinctly  is 
a  question  in  which  you  have  had  painful  experience.  Whether 
I  will  receive  an  invitation  is  still  a  matter  of  the  future.  I  tried 
my  utmost  to  deter  Harbaugh  from  presenting  my  name  as  a 
candidate,  but  without  any  effect.  If  he  does,  may  God  help 
me  to  discern  His  will! 

Now,  Herman,  do  write  soon,  and  give  me  the  benefit  of  your 
counsel.  Please  keep  this  to  yourself  for  the  present,  since  all 
this  talk  might  seem  premature  if  it  were  known  generally. 
Peter  has  taken  unto  himself  a  wife  and  is  at  Mercersburg  at 
present.  He  wishes  to  see  me  very  urgently  respecting  ''the 
Seminary,  married  life,  and  the  G.  R.  Church."  I  will  therefore 
leave  for  Mercersburg  on  next  Monday,  so  as  to  meet  him  before 
his  departure  for  the  West.  I  feel  somewhat  unwell  today. 
Suffered  intense  pain  for  about  three  hours,  but  a  slight  dose  of 
medicine  has  given  me  relief. 

Yours, 

Benny. 

How  much  did  you  pay  for  your  copy  of  "Stapfer's  Grundle- 
gung?"  I  bought  one  in  the  city  for  about  ten  dollars.  Is  it 
too  much? 

Theological  Seminary,  June  18,  1852. 
Dear  Herman: 

Well,  wie  gehts  du.  Hab  dich  doch  schon  lang  nimme  g'sehen. 
Hab  dei  Brief  g'rickt.  Sell  wor  en  schoener  Brief.  Hoscht 
noch  meh  so.  Ich  gleich  sie  so  zu  lese.  Ja,  Ja,  so  gehts  ebbe. 
Mir  hot  ebbe  alsfort  Trubbel.     Gel  du,  Bruder.* 

I  received  yours.  I  wish  you  had  written  me  a  snorten  hairy 
letter,  for  the  benefit  of  Dr.  Schaff.  For  I  would  have  been 
tempted  to  show  it  to  him  if  it  had  been  filled  with  billingsgate 
quotations,  and  redolent  with  fish-woman  vulgarity.  I'll  get 
a  chance  to  pay  you  back  some  day,  mind  if  I  don't.  I  triumphed 
over  you  in  every  instance  thus  far,  I  beheve.     In  the  "hexe" 

*Well,  how  are  you?  Haven't  seen  you  for  a  long  time.  Got  your  letter. 
That  was  a  nice  letter.  Have  you  more  like  it?  I  like  so  to  read  them .  Yes, 
yes,  so  it  goes.    One  always  has  trouble.    Not  so,  brother. 


78  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

controversy  I  lambasted  you  most  cruelly,  and  in  that  "fault" 
business  I  succeeded  in  sharpening  your  sense  of  vision  some- 
what. But  I  must  say  you  came  the  Yankee  over  me  in  show- 
ing it  to  Dr.  Schaff.     But  that  was  taking  advantage  of  me. 

My  dear  brother,  if  you  were  in  any  of  our  Eastern  cities  you 
would  be  just  as  eager  to  have  a  beautiful  edifice  in  which  to 
worship  as  any  other  man,  I  care  not  what  you  say  to  the  con- 
trary. You  may  talk  about  "party  strife,  self -exaltation,  and 
the  spirit  of  rivalry"  as  much  as  you  please.  I  defy  you  to 
show  me  a  Protestant  minister  in  the  whole  universe  of  God, 
not  excepting  the  big  catholic  heart  of  the  Rev.  Herman  Rust 
of  Cincinnati,  who  is  utterly  free  from  these  motives.  These  are 
the  terrible  consequences  of  schism.  And  a  man  who  is  fighting 
valiantly  amidst  all  the  conflicting  absurdities,  divergencies  and 
nullities  of  our  ruling  Protestantism,  might  as  well  try  to  make 
me  believe  that  he  could  fling  himself  to  the  mountains  of  the 
moon  by  the  straps  of  his  boots,  as  to  escape  wholly  from  being 
tainted  with  this  pernicious  spirit.  Why,  sir,  the  mere  effort  of 
rising  above  this  spirit  in  Protestantism  would  be  nothing  more 
nor  less  than  what  you  charge  upon  others.  Unless  our  dear 
Lord  will  send  into  Protestantism  some  new  principle  of  Catholic 
unity,  or  in  His  allwise  Providence  check  the  tendency  to  in- 
dividualism. Heaven  alone  knows  where  Protestantism  will 
terminate. 

Theological  Seminary,  Mercersburg,  Sept.  3,  1852. 
Be  assured  that  I  would  be  equally  gratified  if  we  could  dwell 
nearer  together,  but  whether  the  "Master"  will  permit  us  to  en- 
joy this  pleasure  seems  somewhat  of  a  question  just  now.  I  was 
very  glad  to  hear  of  your  increasing  success,  and  the  still  more 
encouraging  prospects  you  have  in  the  future.  I  am  pleased 
with  your  plan  of  operation.  I  look  upon  parochial  schools, 
properly  conducted,  as  one,  if  not  the  most  efficient  means  of  build- 
ing up  the  church.     and have  been  licensed!     The 

Lord  have  mercy  on  the  Church,     a  minister  of  the  Gospel ! 

What  pious  infatuation.  And  this  was  done  ostensibly  "against 
light  and  better  knowledge,"  and  principally  by  men  who  knew 
all  about  him.  I  was  told  confidentially,  from  head  quarters, 
that  the  Tiffin  men  burnt  their  fingers  most  cruelly,  only  during 
the  several  weeks  he  staid  there.  He  is  that  same  identical  old 
coon  at  heart,  whether  you  put  him  into  some  Eastern  harem 
where  he  can  gratify  his  lusts,  or  try  to  hide  his  hideous  moral 
deformity  behind  the  sacred  desk.  I  regard  this  as  a  sacrilegious 
prostitution  of  ecclesiastical  power,  for  which  the  Western  Church 


THE   SEMINARY   YEAR  79 

will  have  to  do  bitter  penance  some  day,  mind  that.  If  he  won't 
add  another  laurel  to  his  unenviable  fame  for  lewdness  before 
he  will  be  twelve  months  older,  in  the  form  of  seduction,  love- 
scrape,  or  be  tried  before  a  civil  tribunal  for  some  other  caper,  it 
will  not  be  his  fault.     With  all  my  Christian  charity,  of  which  you 

know,  I  have  a  considerable  amount,  I  look  upon as  a  had 

man,  and  what  makes  him  still  more  outrageously  wicked,  is  to 
enter  the  holy  ministry,  with  such  a  large  bill  of  heinous  perpe- 
trations against  God  and  man  unsettled,  unrepented  of,  and 
consequently  unpardoned  by  both.  And  in  the  face  of  all  this, 
conscious  to  a  great  extent  of  his  moral  turpitude,  and  with  the 
explicit  injunction  of  God  before  their  eyes,  that  they  should 
"lay  hands  suddenly  on  no  man,"  "the  Synod  of  the  G.  R. 
Church  of  Ohio  and  Adjacent  States,"  "in  solemn  conclave  met," 
licensed  and  ordained  him  to  preach  that  Christ  whom  he  has 
practically  dishonored  again  and  again.  Away  with  this  whole 
business.     It  grieves  me  to  think  about  it. 

On  Thursday  of  next  week is  to  leave  the  Seminary  for 

the  state  of  matrimony.     Your  friend  Miss is  to  be  the 

happy  bride.     will  be  another  ornament  to  the  Church  in 

the  West.  Last  Spring  he  entered  the  Seminary,  fresh  and  green 
out  of  the  Sophomore  class,  and  on  an  average  attended  about 
one  lecture  out  of  three  during  the  session,  and  lo!  he  is  fledged 
already  for  public  service.  Well,  so  be  it,  circumstances  alter 
cases,  and  sometimes  principles,  says  Dr.  Schaff.  Prof.  Gerhart 
paid  us  a  flying  visit  a  short  time  ago.  He  barely  remained  a 
day.  Had  the  pleasure  of  taking  him  to  Greencastle.  It  is 
very  probable  that  the  Mercershwg  Revieiv  will  be  stopped  at 
the  coming  meeting  of  the  Alumni.  Dr.  Nevin  told  me  a  few 
days  ago,  that  he  wished  to  have  it  stopped,  or  transferred  into 
the  hands  of  some  responsible  party.  He  don't  wish  to  be  its 
editor  any  longer.  Costs  him  too  much  time  and  labor.  I  fear 
there  is  something  still  more  serious  at  bottom.  I  feel  pretty 
sure  that  Dr.  Nevin  will  go  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  if 
he  lives  ten  years  longer.  He  is  in  a  very  critical  state  of  mind. 
I  fear  his  next  article  on  Cyprian  will  create  a  terrible  muss.  I 
am  told  it  is  strong. 

Billy is  going  to  apply  for  license.    Why  don't  you  fellows 

make  him  stand  back  until  he  will  have  studied  theology?  Poor 
chance  of  getting  rid  of  quack  preachers  in  the  West,  so  long  as 
every  half-fledged  tyro  is  pushed  into  the  ministry,  especially 

under  such  inexcusable  circumstances.    will  be  married  to 

a  lady  of in  a  few  weeks.     So  goes  the  world,  Herman, 

marrying  and  giving  in  marriage.  How  will  we  do,  think  you? 
I  don't  know  what  will  become  of  me.     I  dreamt  the  other  night 


80  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

that  I  had  popped  the  question,  and  the  dear  thing  took  me  at 
my  word.  But  such  a  pickle  I  never  was  in.  I  rued  the  bargain 
but  couldn't  get  out  of  it  until  I  got  awake.  There's  the  rub. 
If  a  person  could  back  out,  but  when  you  try  one,  you  are  bound 
to  keep  her.  There  is  a  report  very  prevalent  here  that  I  am 
engaged  to  a  lady  in  Lancaster.  I  wish  I  would  know  to  whom. 
I  suppose  by  this  time  you  will  think  of  giving  me  some  more 
paper.     Thank  you.  Benny. 

Lancaster,  September  17,  1852. 
Dear  Herman: 

Your  last  came  to  hand  yesterday.  So  you  thought  I  intended 
to  surprise  you.  I  wish  I  could.  Perhaps  you  would  like  to 
know  my  difficulty.  It  is  not  a  want  of  time,  for  I  expect  to 
spend  several  months,  at  least,  away  from  Mercersburg  to  re- 
fresh and  recruit  myself.  And  where  could  I  do  it  more  joy- 
fully and  successfully  than  by  gamboling  through  that  garden 
spot  of  Ohio — the  Miami  Valley — with  my  little  Herman  at  my 
side?  Yes,  Herman,  I  long  to  see  you.  This  desire  seized  such 
a  firm  hold  on  me  after  I  read  your  letter  last  evening,  that  I 
fell  into  a  sort  of  a  melancholy  homesickness.  But  I  can't  go. 
Why,  think  you?  Too  poor!!  That  is  just  the  "long  and  short 
of  it."  I  have  a  kind  father,  Herman,  a  boon  for  which  I  shall 
never  cease  to  thank  the  Beneficent  Giver  of  all  good.  He  has 
never  refused  to  meet  my  wants,  though  sometimes  I  created 
wants  unnecessarily,  which  I  now  plainly  see.  But  father  is 
getting  old,  and  old  age,  you  know,  always  brings  with  it  some 
very  peculiar  notions,  which  require  a  very  tender  treatment. 
He  expected  that  I  would  finish  my  course  in  the  Seminary  this 
Fall,  and  was  consequently  somewhat  disappointed  to  hear  of 
my  intention  to  return  to  Mercersburg  next  Spring.  Now  I 
would  not  suppose  for  a  moment  that  he  would  refuse  to  give  me  as 
much  money  as  I  would  need  to  go  West,  but  I  understand  his 
present  state  of  mind  well  enough  to  know  that  this  would  make 
him  feel  unhappy  for  a  while  at  least,  and  more  especially  since 
I  was  out  there  a  year  ago.  Now  I  consider  it  my  solemn  duty, 
which,  by  the  help  of  the  Lord,  I  mean  scrupulously  and  re- 
ligiously to  perform,  to  soothe  and  cheer  the  declining  pathway 
of  my  tottering  sire,  from  whom  I  have  inherited  so  much  that 
is  good  and  abiding;  even  to  bear  with  his  weakness,  to  yield 
to  his  prejudices,  and  to  remove  and  quiet  the  promptings  of 
dissatisfaction.  This,  then,  is  my  excuse  for  not  coming  to  see 
you  forthwith.  Do  you  think  it  is  satisfactory?  If  I  had  the 
money  at  my  command,  I  would  come  with  a  light  and  joyful 
heart;  but  necessity  is  a  hard  and  cruel  tyrant. 


THE   SEMINARY   YEAR  81 

We  had  a  very  interesting  commencement  at  Mercersburg, — a 
very  large  attendance,  especially  of  strangers.  Dr.  Nevin  de- 
terminately  withdrew  from  the  Review,  and  also  announced  his 
intention  not  to  go  to  Lancaster,  but  resign  as  President  of  the 
College  as  soon  as  the  Board  can  fill  his  place.  The  Alumni  re- 
solved to  continue  the  publication  for  another  year  on  trial,  and 
empowered  the  publication  committee  to  appoint  an  editorial 
chair,  and  if  the  Review  could  not  possibly  sustain  itself,  to  dis- 
continue it  at  such  a  time,  during  the  ensuing  year,  as  they  may 
see  proper.  The  expression  of  your  sentiments  respecting  the 
Church  and  Dr.  Nevin  I  read  with  much  interest.  I  wish  I 
could  talk  the  matter  over  with  you.  I  have  had  some  gloomy 
and  serious  thoughts  on  these  differences.  I  can't  agree  with 
you,  however,  in  some  of  the  positions  you  assume.  "If  a  Pro- 
testant minister  should  persuade  himself  that  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church  be  the  only  saving  church,  he  would  still  not  be  justifiable 
to  leave  the  Protestant  Church."  Your  inference  is  that  his 
course  would  be  purely  selfish.  Your  conclusion  is  nothing 
more  nor  less  than  that  a  compliance  with  our  honest  conviction 
is  selfish,  and  consequently  sinful.  Whilst  the  Bible  doctrine  is — 
which  you  and  I  profess  to  follow — "let  everyone  be  persuaded 
in  his  own  mind,"  and  thus  let  him  act.  Your  position  evidently 
is  the  selfish  principle  run  mad.  For  the  Bible  abounds  with 
monitions  which  according  to  your  standard  appeal  to  this  selfish 
principle  in  us.  And  is  it  not  a  cardinal  principle  of  Protestant- 
ism that  a  man  should  follow  and  obey  his  better  conviction. 
Ah,  here  exactly  is  the  absurdity,  the  insuperable  contradic- 
tion of  Protestantism.  Every  man  must  in  duty  follow  his  hon- 
est convictions,  with  but  one  exception — to  be  careful  not  to 
follow  them  into  the  bosom  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church. 
I  confess  I  am  often  pained  to  hear  with  what  contempt  Dr. 
Nevin  speaks  and  writes  about  Protestantism.  I  have  long 
since  felt  that  he  is  a  singular  exponent  of  German  Reformed 
doctrine,  but  I  trust  he  has  also  been  the  means  of  infusing  to 
some  extent,  a  healthy,  vigorous  life  into  our  Church.  We 
should  be  more  Catholic  in  the  good  sense.  Narrow-hearted 
bigotry  is  not  a  doctrine  of  the  Gospel.     But  I  must  forbear. 

I  have  had  many  invitations  to  preach  during  vacation,  but 
I  won't  do  it.  I  had  intended  to  preach  some,  but  I  found  that 
I  would  have  a  pretty  hard  time  if  I  would  convince  Goodrich, 
Reber,  Keyes,  and  Harbaugh.  All  insisted  on  me  to  preach  for 
them,  for  some  two  or  three  times,  which  would  keep  me  busy 
to  prepare  enough  sermons.  I  find  that  my  mind  needs  rest 
and  hence  I  refused  all  to  be  consistent. 

Geo.   Williard   attended   our   commencement  and   urged   me 


82  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

very  much  to  come  to  Columbus  and  take  charge  of  the  German 
interest  in  connection  with  some  country  congregation,  but  so 
much  German  would  be  too  laborious  for  me,  and,  moreover, 
Dr.  Schaff  and  others  of  our  ministers  wish  me  to  stay  in  the 
East,  as  there  is  such  a  pressing  demand  for  ministers  here.  I 
shall  try  and  bide  my  time  patiently  until  the  good  Master  will 
direct. 

I  attended  a  Whig  mass  convention  in  Lancaster  yesterday. 
What  think  you  are  the  future  prospects  of  our  government? 
What  will  be  the  ultimate  issue  of  the  tendencies  at  present 
at  work  in  our  national  life?  Good  Sir,  I  very  much  fear  the 
Devil  is  no  longer  in  the  minority.  What  a  recklessness  and  cor- 
ruption even  in  high  places.  Open  and  avowed  blasphemy  in 
public  speakers  to  pander  to  a  vicious,  godless  populace.  I 
don't  make  a  straw's  difference  for  Whig  or  Democrat,  so  far  as 
the  parties  are  concerned.  We  are  insulted  when  we  hear  an 
earthly  friend  abused,  and  can  we  hear  our  best  Friend  derided 
•without  being  insulted?  Should  we  not  resent  such  impious 
defamation?  Whatever  may  be  the  final  destiny  of  this  country, 
of  one  thing  I  am  convinced,  that  it  will  not  continue  in  its  pre- 
sent form  until  the  end  of  time.  Our  national  crimes  and  po- 
litical corruption  have  so  long  since  merited  the  vengeance  of 
Heaven.  I  venture  to  predict  the  approach  of  that  day  when 
the  American  poet  will  sing  his  plaintive  dirge  like  the  Roman 
female,  who  sounded  her  mournful  notes  over  the  ruin  of  the 
once  proud  city:  "Rome,  Rome,  thou  art  no  longer  as  thou  once 
hast  been." 

Your  Benny. 

Lancaster,  October  16,  1852. 
Dear  Herman: 

I  have  just  finished  my  breakfast,  received  and  read  your 
letter  of  the  11th,  and  now  for  a  reply  before  I  fold  it  up  again. 
Well,  I  am  extremely  sorry  that  I  cannot  usher  myself,  "in  pro- 
pria persona,"  into  your  hale,  fat,  plump  little  presence,  and 
give  your  mushy  hand  such  a  crushing  grip  as  would  make  you 
writhe  and  yell  under  the  pang  of  affection  for  at  least  two  hours. 
But  now  be  careful!  Unfold  the  letter  very  cautiously,  for 
"mind  ye  in  troth,  the  auld  gemmen  might  be  stuck  up  in  some 
corner  or  ither,  an  pounce  right  on  to  yer  skin."  Hould  him, 
mon,  he's  cummin.  Now,  Herman,  just  make  up  your  mind 
that  I  won't  obtrude  my  cumbersome  insignificance  upon  your 
intensely  excited  "ox-(h)yde"  while  you  are  peeping  from  under 
it  at  this  letter.     I  am  far  enough  from  Cincinnati  not  to  dis- 


THE   SEMINARY   YEAR  83 

turb  your  safety,  But  the  fact  is,  I  am  none  the  better  "for  a' 
that,"  for  I  would  hke  very  much  to  look  at  ye,  and  talk  at  ye, 
and  pounce  at  ye,  and  juk  at  ye,  but  there's  no  go,  as  the  saying 
is.  A  man  would  after  all  much  better  take  things  coolly,  and 
make  up  his  mind  not  to  snarl  and  growl  at  the  objects  inter- 
posed by  fixing  necessities,  for  if  he  don't,  he  will  all  his  life  be 
the  football  of  accidental  impulses.  Well,  but  now  let  us  talk 
sensibly.  But  that  letter  of  yours  is  still  before  me.  Well, 
here  are  some  inducements  next  in  order. 

No.  1.  "Dr.  Rice's  Lecture  on  Romanism."  Pretty  weighty 
that  is.  Would  like  to  hear  some  sensible  man  talk  on  that.  (2) 
"Mission  Festival  of  the  Catholics."  Ah,  that  is  music  to  mine 
ears.  Catholic.  "There's  magic  in  the  sound."  Show  me  a 
tree  whose  roots  extend  so  far  back  into  the  past,  and  which 
still  has  its  branches  pendant  with  the  rich  clusters  of  gospel 
truth  and  salvation.  Nay,  I%sk  is  not  that  the  tree  from  which 
even  we  Protestants  have  derived  all  that  is  permanent,  stable, 
and  of  saving  power  in  our  religion?  Where  is  there  a  tree 
whose  branches  extend  farther,  whose  top  promises  to  reach 
higher  far  than  any  parasites,  who  suck  all  the  life  out  of  her  they 
can  get,  and  then  turn  around  and  villify  her,  crying  exultingly, 
"We  are  the  Temple  of  God,  we  are  the  Temple  of  God."  But 
this  is  a  progressive  age,  and  ours  a  progressive  religion.  Cogent 
argument  that.  "This  is  after  all  a  great  country,"  as  good 
Dr.  Schaff  generally  says,  when  he  has  given  the  last  theological 
dose  to  some  dyspeptic  Protestant  stomach,  for  you  know  dys- 
pepsia is  predominantly  protesting  in  its  character.  The  Dr., 
like  an  experienced  physician,  knows  full  well  that  what  such 
persons  need  most  is  a  little  opiate:  "After  all  a  great  country, 
this.  It  cannot  be  denied;  and  all  the  result  of  Protestant  civ- 
ilization." But  I  must  forbear,  else  you  might  take  up  the 
gauntlet  of  controversy  again.  What  comes  next?  (3)  Bar- 
num's  Elephants!!!  Good  brother,  save  me  from  "them  ar 
creturs."  I  have  seen  "the  elephant"  so  often  that  you  won't 
catch  me  looking  at  him  in  a  hurry.  You  present  a  number  of 
other  inducements,  which  will  have  their  weight  under  proper 
circumstances. 

But  now  for  that  point.  You  know  "points"  are  so  hard  to 
get  at,  because  they  have  no  local  existence.  But  this  is  some- 
what more  tangible  than  a  point.  Only  have  patience,  and  I 
will  get  at  it  by  and  by.  I  believe  I  told  you  perhaps  I  would 
come  West  on  a  visit.  But  now  you  should  not  make  too  sure 
about  it,  because  it  is  very  uncertain  as  yet.  I  can't  come  next 
week,  nor  is  it  likely  the  week  after.  I  told  Jerry  Good  that 
those  people  would  have  to  write  immediately,  if  they  intend 


84  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

to  invite  me.  They  have  not  done  this,  although  it  is  nearly 
three  weeks  since  I  wrote  to  him.  From  this  you  see  that  I 
cannot  go  next  week  in  any  event.  Under  these  circumstances 
I  have  consented  to  visit  that  charge  near  Harrisburg  on  to- 
morrow a  week,  after  which  I  know  not  where  I  will  go.  Pos- 
sibly I  may  come  West.  But,  really,  I  have  been  spoken  and 
appealed  to  so  seriously  by  persons  whose  counsel  I  must  re- 
spect, that  I  would  consider  myself  highly  culpable  in  treating 
with  heartless  silence  the  crying,  famishing  wants  of  some  charges 
in  the  East.  And,  moreover,  think  you,  Herman,  that  under 
existing  circumstances  in  the  East,  I  would  be  doing  right  to 
remove  to  a  field,  far  distant  from  my  paternal  home,  where  I 
would  be  deprived  of  the  possibility  of  comforting  and  soothing 
the  declining  days  of  my  venerable  sire.  How  pleasant  to  strew 
but  a  few  roses  on  his  shadowy  pathway.  Herman,  perhaps 
you  never  enjoyed  this  delightful  experience.  Your  parents 
have  long  since  gone  to  their  long  home.  Perhaps  e'er  very 
long  mine  will  have  fallen  asleep  in  Jesus'  arms,  too.  But  while 
they  are  still  with  us,  how  delightful  it  is  to  cheer  their  hearts, 
which  have  always  throbbed  with  anxious  solicitude  for  our 
welfare.  We  watch  every  little  chance  to  evince  our  love  to 
them,  by  a  tender  remark,  a  kind  act,  or  a  cheerful  look.  But  if 
I  go  West,  bleak  distance  will  hide  me  from  his  presence,  and  I 
can  no  longer  vie  with  my  brothers  to  bestow  upon  him  the  fond 
tokens  of  filial  gratitude  and  affection.  Still  if  I  am  convinced 
that  "the  Master  calls  me,"  I  will  go,  with  the  fond  hope  that 
there  will  be  a  joyful  family  reunion  in  heaven,  a  home  which  is 
"far  better."  We  dare  not  love  father  or  mother  more  than 
Him.  These  are  some  of  my  reasons  why  I  doubt  the  propriety 
of  my  going  West.  Still  I  shall  patiently  await  the  further  in- 
dications of  Providence.  Upon  the  advice  of  Dr.  Schalf  and 
others,  I  have  written  on  to  Baltimore  for  my  dismission  from  the 
Seminary,  in  order  to  prepare  myself  to  enter  the  field.  To- 
morrow, the  Lord  willing,  I  expect  to  preach  twice  at  Millers- 
tovvTi;  and  on  Monday  morning  Reber  and  myself  intend  to  start 
on  the  early  train  for  Baltimore.  Should  I  go  West,  it  will  not 
be  until  the  expiration  of  a  few  weeks,  as  I  will  be  employed 
two  weelcs  in  visiting  that  place  at  Harrisburg,  at  least  I  think 
so.  In  the  meanwhile,  write  to  me  again,  and  don't  forget 
affectionately  to  keep  in  remembrance 

Your  old  and  tried  friend, 

Benj.  Bausman. 

Of  this  visit  to  Baltimore  Dr.  Bausman  wrote  in  his  "Auto- 
biographical Material : ' ' 


THE   SEMINARY   TEAR  85 

I  was  licensed  at  a  meeting  of  the  Eastern  Synod,  in  1852,  at 
Baltimore.  This  Synod  then  covered  the  territory  east  of  the 
Allegheny  mountains,  now  embraced  by  the  Eastern,  Potomac 
and  Pittsburg  Synods.  The  sessions  were  held  in  the  old  Second 
Street  Church,  which  Dr.  Heiner  served  for  many  years.  I  was 
seated  in  a  front  pew;  with  visible  emotion  he  introduced  me  to 
the  body  as  a  candidate  for  licensure.  Although  only  one  candi- 
date for  the  holy  office,  and  he  not  a  very  promising  one,  it  seemed 
to  encourage  the  members  of  Synod.  Dr.  Theodore  Hoffeditz 
was  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Examination  and  Licensure, 
and  he  reported  favorably  on  my  case. 

John  F.  Mesick,  President,  and  Samuel  R.  Fisher,  Stated  Clerk, 
signed  the  license.  It  was  issued  on  the  twenty-first  day  of 
October,  1852. 

The  visit  above  referred  to  was  to  the  Hummelstown  charge 
near  Harrrisburg;  the  outcome  of  which  was  a  call  to  the  same, 
November  15,  1852. 

In  the  "Chapter  of  Unpublished  History"  read  before  the 
Reading  Reformed  Ministers  January,  1909,  is  a  section  of  un- 
usual interest  on  "Romanizing  Tendencies."  It  helps  one 
the  better  to  understand  the  several  references  to  Catholicism 
in  the  letters  to  Rust,  as  well  as  to  get  a  glimpse  of  Seminary  life 
in  Bausman's  day. 

It  "^all  be  a  surprise  to  many  who  were  impressed  by  the  evan- 
gelical enthusiasm  of  Dr.  Bausman  in  later  years  to  know  that  the 
Roman  Church  ever  had  any  charm  for  him  in  its  claims  of 
Catholicity.  Several  years  ago  he  remarked  to  a  body  of  min- 
isters, who  were  discussing  Romanism,  that  he  was  once  tre- 
mendously exercised  by  the  church  question,  and  was  perilously 
near  the  danger  point  in  the  drift  toward  Rome.  That  time  was 
evidently  the  Seminary  year. 

How  tenderly  and  tolerantly  he  speaks  of  the  professors  and 
students  in  their  perplexities: 

Both  Dr.  Nevin  and  Dr.  Schaff  were  keenly  alive  to  certain 
weaknesses  in  Protestantism.  As  its  name  implies,  it  stood  too 
much  for  a  mere  protest  against  error;  it  lacked  positiveness  in 
its  teachings;  it  seemed  to  rest  largely  on  negations.  A  mere 
denial  or  negation  is  not  a  good  foundation  to  build  upon.  In 
their  teachings  and  writings  they  both  felt  it  their  duty  to  point 


86  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

out  its  weakness  no  less  than  its  strength.  In  order  to  indoctrinate 
us  the  more  thoroughly,  they  advised  us  to  read  certain  books  by 
Catholic  authors:  such  as  Mohler's  "SymboUsm  or  the  Doctrinal 
Differences  between  Catholics  and  Protestants;"  Cardinal  Wise- 
man's works;  "Protestantism  and  Cathohcity  Compared  in  their 
Effects  on  the  Civilization  of  Europe,"  by  Balmes,  a  briUiant 
Spanish  author. 

This  was  at  the  time  of  the  Tractarian  Controversy,  among 
a  small  group  of  men  in  the  University  of  Oxford.  They  wrote 
a  series  of  tracts  which  aimed  to  extract  the  good  out  of  Catholic 
history,  from  the  early  Fathers  down  to  the  present.  Parallel 
to  this  appeared  Dr.  Nevin's  articles  on  the  same  subject.  It 
was  interesting  and  sometimes  annoying  reading,  for  we  students 
had  not  always  the  steering  power  to  wind  our  way  around  the 
shoals  and  quicksands  of  such  perilous  investigations.  As  a 
result  some  of  us  were  in  danger  of  drifting  beyond  our  intel- 
lectual depth.  I  at  one  time  unburdened  my  spiritual  troubles 
to  Dr.  Nevin,  troubles  about  my  personal  salvation.  He  sym- 
pathized with  me,  said  that  these  great  questions  had  to  be  met, 
and  advised  me  to  grapple  in  prayerful  earnestness  with  them, 
that  God  would  in  the  end  help  me  to  solve  them.  With  similar 
frankness  I  opened  my  heart  to  Dr.  Schaff.  He  simply  repeated 
his  arguments  we  had  heard  in  the  lecture  room,  almost  every 
one  of  these  I  had  the  impertinence  to  meet  with  the  reply: 
"Yes,  Dr.  Schaff,  but  did  you  not  tell  us  that  this  particular 
argument  was  no  longer  tenable?"  Perhaps  it  was  not  respect- 
ful, yet  I  could  not  help  but  use  some  of  his  own  ammunition 
against  him. 

I  believe  both  these  great  men  felt  it  their  duty  to  prepare  us 
for  our  future  work  by  disclosing  some  of  the  weaknesses  of  old  ac- 
cepted arguments  which  were  no  longer  tenable.  The  result 
was  that  eight  or  ten  students  landed  in  the  Catholic  Church, 
just  as  Newman  and  Manning  and  others  of  the  Oxford  Tracts 
landed  in  the  Papacy.  A  large  group  of  able  men  like  Geo.  D. 
Wolff,  Dan'l  Gans,  Jno.  Ermentrout,  Moses  Stuart,  Forney 
from  Hanover,  Coblentz  from  Middletown  and  others  sought 
peace  in  Romanism.  As  in  the  beginning  of  the  careers  of  Drs. 
Nevin  and  Schaff,  Dr.  Berg  went  to  the  Gibraltar  of  Protes- 
tantism, as  he  called  it,  the  Dutch  Ref'd  Church,  and  Dr. 
Jacob  Helffenstein  of  the  Market  Street  Church,  Germantown, 
Philadelphia,  to  the  Presbyterian  Church,  taking  his  large  flock 
and  valuable  church  property  with  him.  I  believe  that  from 
their  point  of  view  they  were  sincere.  It  was,  however,  a  trying 
time  for  our  dear  Church.  Every  succeeding  transition  added 
fuel  to  the  fire  of  those  in  the  opposing  camp. 


THE   SEMINARY  YEAR  87 

Under  such  conditions  some  of  the  best  students  lost  their 
theological  equilibrium.  Some  of  these  developed  the  teach- 
ings of  the  Professors  into  illogical  extremes;  and  some  kept 
up  a  fire  in  the  rear. 

A  group  of  eight  or  ten  German  students  came  to  Mercersburg 
from  Lippe  Detmold,  Germany,  to  prepare  for  the  ministry  in 
destitute  sections  of  the  West.  They  had  a  very  meagre  prepara- 
tion for  the  Seminary,  whilst  they  were  sincerely  pious.  Dr. 
Schaff's  teaching  was  strong  meat  for  their  pietistic  taste.  They 
felt  it  their  duty  to  complain  to  the  Board  of  Visitors.  Dr. 
Schaff  felt  it  keenlj-,  the  more  so  because  he  had  been  very  kind 
to  them.  One  day  when  we  were  assembled  in  the  classroom, 
the  good  man  gave  vent  to  his  wounded  feelings.  He  reminded 
them  of  his  repeated  material  kindness  to  them,  and  grieved 
that  he  should  receive  such  treatment  from  his  countrymen, 
whom  he  had  befriended.  Despite  their  imperfect  equipment, 
these  German  brethren  later  were  among  the  founders  of  the 
Mission  House  in  Sheboygan,  Wis.,  of  which  Dr.  Mtihlmeier, 
one  of  their  number,  was  for  many  years  the  efficient  president. 

During  this  time  of  theological  unrest,  there  was  considerable 
alarm  among  the  more  thoughtful  ministers  of  the  church  as  to 
whither  things  were  tending  at  Mercersburg. 

"Resolved,  that  Protestantism  is  essentially  gnostic,"  was 
the  subject  of  debate  in  our  theological  society  one  evening. 
C.  Z.  Weiser  and  I  did  our  utmost  for  the  affirmative  and  won 
the  debate,  both  as  to  the  merits  of  the  debate  and  of  the  subject 
itself.  Our  extravagant  logic  got  us  into  trouble.  Some  of  our 
arguments  were  reported  to  the  Board  of  Visitors,  which  led  to  our 
arraignment  at  a  special  meeting.  It  is  due  to  myself  to  state 
that  in  this  case  Weiser  was  the  chief  offender.  I  remember  the 
scene  in  the  lecture  room  very  well.  Only  Dr.  D.  Zacharias  of 
Frederick,  Md.,  Dr.  C.  F.  McCauley,  then  of  Middletown,  Md., 
and  I  think  Rev.  J.  Rebaugh,  I  can  now  recall.  Weiser  was 
called  up  first.  The  first  question  was:  Had  he  made  use  of  a 
certain  objectionable  expression  complimentary  to  Romanism? 
He  frankly  replied,  "Yes,  I  said  that.  I  wish  you  would  solve 
the  question  for  me.  I  will  be  very  glad  to  be  reheved."  The 
Board  did  not  explain  it  for  us,  and  we  were  permitted  to  go 
our  way  in  peace. 

Dr.  Harbaugh  at  one  time  called  Dr.  Nevin  a  mawler  of  here- 
tics. He  certainly  handled  his  mawl  gently  on  his  wandering 
boys.  All  this  happened  during  a  few  years  before  the  removal 
of  the  College  to  Lancaster. 

The  next  two  letters  to  Herman  Rust  show  that  at  the  end 
of  his  student  career,  Benjamin  Bausman  was  in  hopeful  and 


88  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

happy    spirits,    alive    and    responsive    to    the    human    interests 
around  him: 

Lancaster,  Nov.  23,  1852. 

Well,  I  have  been  at  Lewisburg.  Spent  nearly  two  weeks 
there.  Preached  for  those  people  two  Sundays  (four  sermons). 
I  went  there  in  compliance  with  an  invitation  from  the  consis- 
tory, and  preached  to  the  finest  and  most  attentive  audiences 
that  I  have  yet  addressed  during  my  short  career  of  "speechify- 
ing." I  tell  you  now,  they  are  "some  pumpkins."  Lewisburg 
is  a  town  very  much  like  Dayton,  fine,  tasty  buildings,  broad 
and  clean  streets,  and  pleasant  pavements  and  boardwalks. 
The  congregation  is  not  very  large  (perhaps  160  or  170  members), 
but  composed  of  sterling  material.  I  visited  a  good  many  of 
them  during  the  last  week,  and  was  pleased  without  exception. 
They  have  a  fine,  new  church,  built  after  the  modern  style,  with 
a  number  of  large,  massive  columns  in  front;  a  neat,  chaste  steeple, 
mounted  with  one  of  the  most  melodious  bells  that  ever  saluted 
my  ears.  Don't  that  sound  big?  But  it's  a  fact.  Nothing  but 
the  plain,  sober,  unadorned  truth.  If  it  is  too  highly  colored, 
you  may  shade  it  a  little,  if  you  please.  I  suppose  the  picture 
has  its  dark  side  too.  Lewisburg  will  soon  be  connected  with 
our  larger  cities  by  the  Sunbury  and  Erie  Railroad.  The  people 
pressed  me  ha.rd  to  come  in  their  midst,  and  the  consistory  told 
me  that  they  would  send  me  a  call  next  week.  I  did  not  commit 
myself,  but,  on  the  contrary,  told  them  that  they  should  call  an 
older  man  who  had  more  pastoral  experience;  but  they  would 
not  listen  to  me.  I  really  almost  feel  like  shrinking  from  the 
responsibilities  of  the  pastorate  of  such  an  important  congrega- 
tion. I  shall  place  the  whole  matter  into  the  hands  of  the  Lord 
and  await  His  bidding. 

Heisler  will  not  remain  with  them.  He  was  married  and  his 
wife  is  one  of  the  most  pious  and  worthy  young  ladies  I  have 
met  for  a  long  while.  Her  praise  is  on  every  person's  lips  in 
Lewisburg.  And  what  is  still  better,  there  are  some  more  there 
of  the  "same  sort."  I  never  preached  to  so  many  pretty  girls 
at  one  time  as  I  did  last  Sunday  afternoon,  and  a  week  before. 
It  seems  to  me  if  anything  could  unman  a  young  man,  it  would 
be  the  sight  of  such  a  ivo-man-ly  an  audience.  But  there  is 
nothing  of  which  I  would  rather  speak  to  young  friends  whom 
I  esteemed,  or  even  loved,  if  you  please,  than  of  the  glad  tidings 
of  Salvation.  Away  with  these  silly  love-stories.  We  can  only 
love  properly  as  we  love  in  Jesus  Christ, 

Herman,  let  me  have  your  advice  about  the  Lewisburg  ques- 
tion.    Milton  is  also  vacant.     I  preached  there  on  Sunday  night 


THE   SEMINARY   YEAR  89 

a  week.  We  have  a  fine  congregation  there,  and  also  a  very- 
pretty  church.  They  promise  to  raise  a  man  $400.  Write 
soon  again,  and  forgive  my  long  delay. 

Yours,  etc., 

Benj.  Bausman. 

Mercersburg,  Dec.  17,  1852. 
Dear  Herman: 

Your  last  of  the  8th  instant  furnished  a  happy  relief  to  my 
head  and  heart.  The  pleasure  of  its  perusal  was  very  much 
enhanced  by  the  tardiness  of  its  arrival.  Just  think,  I  hail  for 
the.  last  time  from  the  quiet  retreat  of  No.  18.  A  few  days  more, 
and  I  will  bid  a  final  adieu  to  this  sunny  spot  of  my  history. 
Altogether  seven  years  of  my  life  have  been  spent  here,  years 
of  no  inconsiderable  importance  to  me.  A  period  full  of  anxiety, 
but  withal  abounding  with  pleasure  at  every  point.  A  joyful 
period  this  was,  buoyant  with  humble,  childlike  hope.  And, 
moreover,  a  happy  period,  a  delectable  dish,  well  filled  and  sea- 
soned somewhat  with  the  pepper  of  harmless  grief  to  impart  zest 
to  its  enjoyment.  This  was  a  glorious  period,  in  which  folly 
and  wit  have  been  vieing  for  the  mastery.  Its  genial  associa- 
tions and  delights  live  only  in  memory.  Their  recollection  will 
perhaps  often  disperse  the  gloom  of  darker  days.  These,  and 
many  others,  are  the  "friends  I  will  leave  behind  me."  Oh, 
how  dear!  Many  happy  hours  I  spent  with  cherished  friends  in 
harmless  mirth  and  pleasure.  Many  in  the  holy  retreats  of  my 
own  soul, 

"Talking  with  my  past  hours, 
And  ask  them  what  report  they  have  borne  to  heaven 
And  how  they  might  have  borne  more  welcome  news." 

Many  I  spent  in  happy  communion  with  Him  who  is  our  ever 
"present  help  in  time  of  need."     Fond  seasons,  though  past. 

The  student's  life  has  something  peculiarly  attractive  to  a 
serious,  contemplating  mind.  Here  the  range  of  our  activity 
is  included  mainly  within  the  compass  of  our  own  sanctum.  If 
we  are  deluded  by  faithless  friends,  or  weary  with  human  folly, 
we  can  lock  our  door  and  seek  communion  with  the  wise  and  good 
of  the  ages,  through  their  writings,  whose  spirit  and  genius  still 
linger  in  solemn  quietude  around  these  undying  monuments. 
Here  our  responsibilities  are  condensed  into  the  little  range  of  a 
"student's  home,"  where  we  can  face  them  with  unwavering 
firmness  and  trust  in  God.  0  delightful  home!  How  it  grieves 
me  to  leave  thee!    How  often  I  found  rest  within  they  hallowed 


90  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

walls,  a  happy  retreat  from  the  cheerless  frowns  of  a  cold  and 
selfish  world.  No  more  shall  I  salute  thee  after  a  joyful  return 
with  the  soothing  notes  of  "home  again."  That  music  is  always 
sweetest  which  is  produced  by  the  living  chords  of  the  heart, 
when,  like  a  feathered  songster,  we  chirp  forth  the  gushings  of 
melodious  feelings.  Every  object  around  me  has  assumed  the 
character  of  an  old  friend.  There  is  the  clock,  a  faithful  monitor 
of  departing  hours,  and,  as  Cowper  says,  "still  points  its  moral 
to  the  heart."  It  has  faithfully  tolled  the  knell  of  six  of  the 
smartest  years  of  my  life,  which  lie  sadly  buried  in  the  bosom 
of  the  irretrievable  past.  Many  a  waning  midnight  taper  wit- 
nesses the  sleepless  vigilance  of  this  moral  sentiment,  while  I 
was  turning  over  mouldy  pages,  and  lingering  amid  "wandering 
mazes  lost."  Its  own  hoarse  unmusical  beatings  bear  evidence 
to  the  ravages  of  time. 

Here  stands  the  old  time-worn  armchair,  to  whose  comfortable 
ministrations  you  can  bear  testimony.  He  is  a  kind  old  friend 
of  mine.  Often  when  fatigued  with  care  and  severe  study,  has 
he  borne  me  on  his  ample  arms  into  the  land  of  dreams  and  cloud- 
less joy. 

And  then  to  part  with  the  professors — those  dear  men.  Me- 
thinks  I  could  share  all  I  have  with  them.  A  few  evenings  ago 
I  stepped  into  Dr.  Schaff' s  study,  where  I  met  the  two  Drs.  No 
sooner  did  I  enter  the  room  before  Dr.  Schaff  arose  and  met  me 
in  a  most  paternal  manner,  remarking,  "O  Mr.  Bausman,  we 
have  just  been  talking  of  you."  And  then  both  he  and  Dr. 
Nevin  spoke  to  me  with  all  the  tender  solicitude  of  parental 
fondness.  How  I  love  those  good  men;  aye,  and  will  continue 
to  love  and  cherish  them  to  my  latest  breath,  wherever  the  search 
of  truth  may  lead,  and  however  much  the  world  may  abuse  and 
forsake  them.  O  may  this  not  be  the  empty  promise  of  a  faith- 
less Peter!  Is  it  not  wicked,  a  shocking  impiety,  to  defame  and 
abuse  men  for  no  other  crime  but  that  of  seeking  the  truth  with 
honest  hearts!  Shame  on  the  boasted  pretensions  of  modern 
fashionable  piety!  But  I  must  leave  them,  no  more  to  listen 
to  their  teachings,  no  more  to  meet  them  in  the  lecture-room;  no 
more  to  mingle  with  them  in  the  joyful  retreats  of  their  families. 
No  more!  'Tis  a  hard  word.  The  brief  span  of  my  past  in 
Mercersburg  is  a  lovely  spot,  radiant  with  pleasure,  abounding 
in  fragrant  joys,  some  few  of  which  grew  amid  thorns,  but  are 
all  the  more  lovely  for  that.  And  must  I  tear  myself  loose  from 
so  much  that  I  love  to  cherish  in  my  history?  I  have  reached 
one  of  those  little  eminences  on  the  mountain  of  human  life, 
from  which  I  have  a  distant  view  of  the  valley  through  which  I 
have  traveled.     What  a  past  is  behind  me!    Peopled  with  the 


THE   SEMINARY   YEAR  91 

living  impressions  of  my  influence;  numerous  rivulets  which 
will  help  to  augment  either  the  tide  of  good  or  evil.  What  a 
vision!  O  for  a  painter's  pencil,  or  a  poet's  fancy!  But  I  must 
press  onward  and  upward.  ''We  have  here  no  abiding  city." 
Oh  what  recollections  crowd  upon  my  mind,  with  a  rushing  in- 
tensity that  baffles  utterance.  How  I  would  love  to  linger  a 
little  while  in  happy  retrospect,  before  the  scene  recedes.     But 

"Away,  away,  away." 


CHAPTER  IV 

Lewisburg — 1853-1856 

O  ENJAMIN  BAUSMAN  had  just  entered  upon  his  30th  year 
-*-'  when  he  began  his  work  in  his  first  pastoral  charge.  Fifty 
years  after  his  ordination  to  the  gospel  ministry,  St.  Paul's 
Church,  Reading,  gave  fitting  expression  to  the  event  in  a 
Jubilee  celebration,  in  which  the  matter  of  chief  interest  was  Dr. 
Bausman's  address  on  Thursday  evening,  February  26,  1903. 

The  journey  to  my  first  field  of  labor  happened  in  February. 
The  weather  was  cold  and  a  deep  snow  covered  the  earth.  I 
stepped  off  a  Pennsylvania  Railroad  train  at  a  small  station,  at 
the  junction  of  the  Juniata  and  the  Susquehanna.  Two  farmers, 
Michael  and  Jacob  Brown,  with  a  two-horse  wood  sled  awaited 
me  at  the  station.  Wrapped  in  buffalo  robes,  with  our  feet 
buried  in  straw,  we  soon  started  on  a  sleigh  ride  of  forty  miles 
along  the  west  bank  of  the  Susquehanna.  I  then  had  a  liking 
for  sleighing,  but  had  not  been  trained  to  such  a  long  stretch  at 
one  sitting,  on  seats  without  backs,  and  with  such  a  primitive 
team.  At  that  time  there  were  no  railroads  along  the  Susque- 
hanna, north  of  the  Junction. 

Two  things  I  vividly  remember  upon  our  arrival  at  Lewis- 
burg: the  great  relief  in  exchanging  the  sled  for  a  warm  parlor, 
and  a  babe  wrapped  in  soft  clothing,  on  a  settee  near  a  stove. 
Some  twenty  years  later  the  babe  became  the  wife  of  Dr.  Wm. 
M.  Reily.  Good  Daniel  Schrack,  my  host  while  at  Lewisburg, 
was  her  father. 

This  evening  it  is  fifty  years  on  the  hour,  that  I  was  ordained. 
It  happened  of  a  Saturday  evening,  in  the  First  Reformed 
Church,  Lewisburg.  The  committee  on  my  ordination  were  the 
Revs.  Richard  A.  Fisher  of  Sunbury,  Daniel  Gring  of  Milton, 
and  Ephraim  Kieffer  of  Mifflinburg.  The  first  was  absent  on 
account  of  sickness,  and  the  second  mistook  the  time.  Dr. 
Henry  Harbaugh  being  in  Lewisburg  on  a  visit,  consented  to 
assist  Mr.  Kieffer  in  the  services;  he  preached  one  of  his  charac- 
teristic sermons,  on  Rom.  1:1,  "Paul,  a  servant  of  Jesus  Christy 
called  to  be  an  apostle,  separated  unto  the  Gospel  of  God." 

92 


REFORMED  CHURCH,   LEWISBURG,   IN   WHICH 
REV.    BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN    PREACHED 


LEWISBURG  93 

Lewisburg  was  a  good  place  to  begin  my  ministry.  The  town 
had  less  than  4,000  inhabitants;  the  congregation  had  160  mem- 
bers, half  of  them  living  in  the  country;  they  were  an  honest, 
sincere,  God-fearing  people,  unspoiled  by  the  novelties  and  fol- 
lies of  city  life.  They  were  good  judges  of  a  gospel  sermon  and 
with  healthy,  uncritical  appetites  received  and  assimilated  the 
bread  of  life.  The  community  was  in  some  respects  in  advance 
of  the  average  Pennsylvania  town.  On  the  subjects  of  temper- 
ance and  antislavery  it  was  then  considered  radical.  It  was  a 
college  town.  What  is  now  Bucknell  University  was  then  known 
by  the  name  of  Lewisburg  University.  Dr.  Hov/ard  Malcomb, 
its  President,  and  Dr.  Bliss,  its  Greek  Professor,  showed  me 
much  kindness  and  often  preached  for  me.  Col.  Eli  Slifer,  then 
Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth  under  Gov.  Curtin,  I  have  rea- 
son to  hold  in  grateful  remembrance.  Le^visburg  was  my  first 
love.  The  sturdy  morals  and  personal  kindness  of  its  people  in 
my  own  and  other  churches,  grow  more  beautiful  and  precious 
to  me  as  the  years  go  by. 

In  the  Journal  of  the  day  of  his  ordination  and  installation,  he 
wrote:  "The  transaction  was,  to  me,  very  impressive  and  solemn, 
many  were  moved  to  tears.  .  .  .  May  the  Lord  in  His  in- 
finite mercy  help  me  to  be  faithful." 

On  the  following  day,  Sunday,  the  Holy  Communion  was 
celebrated.  "I  felt  very  singular  as  I,  for  the  first  time,  handed 
around  the  elements  of  Christ's  dying  love,"  he  wrote.  On  the 
succeeding  Lord's  day,  March  6th,  the  introductory  sermons 
were  preached,  the  German  in  the  morning  and  the  English  in 
the  afternoon.  He  preached  in  the  German  language  every  other 
Lord's  day  morning  while  pastor,  and  had  two  small  congregations 
in  the  country  where  he  occasionally  preached,  Dreisbach's  and 
the  Union  Church. 

The  English  introductory  sermon  was  from  Matt.  10:  7,  "As 
ye  go  preach,  saying,  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  at  hand. "  The 
very  first  sentence  of  it  shows  the  solemn  earnestness  which  filled 
him  on  the  threshold  of  his  fife  calhng:  "The  office  of  the  holy 
ministry  is  attended  not  only  with  precious  privileges,  but  also 
with  unutterable  responsibihties.  It  places  within  our  reach  the 
highest  and  most  enduring  pleasure  that  the  human  heart  can 
desire,  'the  luxury  of  doing  good,'  but  is  calculated  to  fill  the 
firmest  heart  with  painful  misgivings." 


94  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

Especially  during  the  early  months  of  this  first  pastorate,  he 
had  frequent  periods  of  depression  and  discouragement,  exclaim- 
ing often  after  his  sermons,  "Who  is  sufficient  for  these  things!" 
When  he  got  on  better,  his  heart  would  say  in  gratitude,  "The 
Lord  helped  me."  We  read  this  outpouring  of  the  agony  of  his 
soul  in  his  Journal  of  April  3 : 

Feel  very  much  exhausted  and  perplexed.  Indeed  without  an 
increase  of  physical  strength  and  greater  calmness  of  mind  I 
do  not  see  how  I  can  bear  up  long  under  the  burden  of  ministerial 
labors.  I  feel  such  a  want  of  confidence  and  such  a  total  sense 
of  insufficiency  that  nothing  but  a  sense  of  duty  not  to  disappoint 
the  congregation  leads  me  sometimes  to  attend  the  services. 
O  what  a  poor  miserable  being  I  am  to  minister  in  holy  things. 
Whither  shall  I  flee  for  help?  Lord,  save  or  I  perish.  Lord, 
what  wilt  Thou  have  me  to  do?  Should  I  serve  Thee  in  some 
other  sphere?  O,  show  me.  Lord,  I  cast  myself  upon  Thee; 
help  me,  lead  me,  deliver  me,  save  me.     Amen. 

Yet  shortly  after  this,  he  could  write  to  his  friend  Herman  Rust : 

My  success  thus  far  warrants  me  to  be  encouraged.  The 
congregation  respect  and  confide  in  me,  and  try  every  means  to 
encourage  me.  I  have  a  class  of  nine  catechumens,  which  I 
am  told  is  a  larger  number  than  they  have  had  heretofore.  They 
afford  me  much  pleasure,  and  are  all  warmly  interested.  One 
young  man  will  study  for  the  ministry,  who  is  already  prepared 
for  the  Freshman  class  in  college.  I  love  this  people,  and  have 
reason  to  hope  that  the  Lord  has  some  work  for  me  to  perform 
here.  If  I  only  had  sufficient  strength  to  bear  up  under  the 
labors  that  await  me.  These  cares  press  heavily  on  a  person 
unaccustomed  to  them. 

The  demon  of  discouragement  would  never  depart  for  good 
from  a  spirit  so  sensitive  as  Benjamin  Bausman's,  but  after  the 
first  three  months,  he  got  on  more  comfortably.  He  was  far 
from  satisfied  with  his  prayer-meeting,  however,  for  it  showed 
symptoms  which  some  ministers  think  belong  only  to  the  twen- 
tieth century: 

These  weekly  meetings  are  so  poorly  attended.  The  ladies 
attend  well,  but  very  few  of  the  men.  Sometimes  there  is  but 
one  praying  member  there,  sometimes  none  at  all.  I  am  to  keep 
up  the  prayer-meeting  and  yet  they  will  not  help  to  pray.     These 


LEWISBURG  95 

people  profess  great  love  and  respect  for  me,  but  why  will  they 
not  do  what  I  say.  Is  it  not  perhaps  my  fault?  Lord,  show  me. 
O  for  grace  that  I  may  be  saved  from  murmuring. 

In  terminating  the  first  year  of  the  Lewisburg  pastorate,  he 
expressed  this  humble  judgment  of  his  work: 

I  preached  and  lectured  114  times  during  the  year.  I  have 
reason  to  believe  that  by  the  blessing  of  God  I  have  been  the 
means  of  doing  some  good:  have  pointed  many  to  the  Lamb  of 
God  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world,  have  been  instru- 
mental in  leading  a  few  to  the  cross.  0  for  more  grace,  more 
zeal,  more  vigor,  more  fitness  to  carry  on  my  ministrations. 

By  the  end  of  his  second  year,  even  the  most  discouraging 
feature  of  his  work  responded  to  his  solicitude  and  prayers,  and 
he  could  make  this  entry:  "Prayer-meetings  increase  every 
week.  The  Lord  seems  to  be  working  among  us.  Much  tender- 
ness of  feeling." 

Never  robust,  always  obliged  to  be  careful  of  his  health,  even 
throughout  his  life,  he  yet  lost  very  little  time  because  of  sickness. 
In  the  early  spring  of  1854,  on  a  week's  visit  to  his  aged  father, 
he  contracted  a  severe  cold.  Of  this  and  other  things  he  wrote 
after  recovery  to  Rust: 

I  was  unable  to  preach  for  two  successive  Sundays.  I  have 
not  been  ill  for  a  long  time.  I  became  so  accustomed  to  health 
as  to  grow  ungrateful.  The  Master  saw  this  and  graciously  in- 
terposed with  a  remedy — affliction.  It  was  good  for  me.  I  have 
often  thanked  him  for  it  since.  My  dear  people  evinced  much 
sympathy  and  kindness  for  me  during  my  illness.  I  never  be- 
fore experienced  so  sweetly  the  tenderness  of  the  relations  exist- 
ing between  pastor  and  people.  A  great  many  called  to  see 
me,  manifesting  the  warmest  sympathy  and  trying  every  effort 
to  make  me  comfortable. 

Last  week  we  had  services  every  evening.  We  added  seven- 
teen to  the  church,  nine  by  confirmation  and  eight  on  certificate. 
There  is  a  great  deal  in  our  present  experience  which  tends  to 
discourage  and  fill  one  with  a  sense  of  the  vanity  of  much  of  our 
earthly  life.  The  mass  of  men  seek  shadows  and  shapes  that 
die,  and  sometimes  we  so  far  forget  ourselves  as  to  fall  in  love 
with  them.  I  am  sometimes  so  deeply  impressed  with  the  utter 
vanity  of  the  world  and  much  that  is  in  it,  that  I  almost  despair 
of  power  to  disentangle  myself  from  it.     Not  that  I  fear  of  fall- 


96  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

ing  a  prey  to  its  seductions.     The  pomp,  power  and  show  of  the 
world  are  vulgar  and  repulsively  disgusting  to  me. 

When  the  Master  makes  use  of  me  to  lead  one  sinner  to  Him- 
self, I  feel  that  heaven  permits  me  to  do  a  real  action,  which 
shall  live  when  my  feeble  voice  dies.  So  I  felt  last  Saturday. 
When  I  laid  my  hands  upon  these  young  persons,  my  heart  told 
me  that  I  lived  not  in  vain.  The  Saviour  through  my  agency 
led  them  to  Himself.  If  I  ever  performed  a  real  act,  that  was 
one,  made  living  and  immortal  by  the  blood  of  an  endless  life. 
One  such  a  privilege  amply  repays  one  for  long  seasons  of  trial 
and  self-denial,  and  affords  a  sweet  consolation  amid  the  moral 
emptiness  and  fleeting  vanity  with  which  society  so  much 
abounds. 

That  is  a  sound,  sensible  article  of  yours  in  the  Review.  You 
are  a  good  distance  from  Rome  yet. 

Bausman. 

The  year  1854  brought  to  Mr.  Bausman  some  soul  struggles 
and  heart  trials  of  which  only  a  few  were  permitted  to  know. 
He  had  these  in  mind,  no  doubt,  as  he  wrote  in  the  quiet  hour  of 
the  year's  close:  "0,  what  mercies  has  the  past  year  brought! 
Some  severe  trials  to  keep  and  guard  me  against  danger,  provi- 
dences which  dug  about  the  heart,  that  the  Lord  might  refresh 
and  bless  it." 

The  Lewisburg  charge  was  making  fine  progress  under  the 
pastoral  care  of  Benjamin  Bausman.  In  the  summer  of  1854, 
the  church  building  was  repaired,  frescoed  and  refurnished.  In 
the  spring  of  1855  his  salary  was  increased.  This  we  would  con- 
sider very  necessary  when  we  learn  that  the  salary  on  which  he 
agreed  to  become  pastor  was  but  $350  per  year.  The  original 
call  issued  December  9,  1852,  stipulated  no  definite  amount,  only 
such  sum  of  money  in  regular  half-yearly  payments  as  shall  be  a 
"sufficient  compensation  for  your  services."  This  gives  one  a 
glimpse  of  the  loose  agreements  obtaining  widely  touching 
the  compensation  of  ministers  two  generations  ago.  That  prac- 
tice was  demoralizing  on  pastor,  congregation  and  church  work 
in  general,  when  the  ministers's  pay  was  the  regular  church  col- 
lections, commonly  spoken  of  by  the  Pennsylvania  Germans  as 
"was  fallt."  In  response  to  his  demand  for  a  definite  agreement, 
they  promised  him  $275  per  year,  but  he  felt  that  the  "laborer 


LEWISBURG  97 

was  worthy  of  his  hire"  and  that  for  the  good  of  the  people  by  way 
of  self-respect,  they  should  pay  a  decent  salary,  hence  the  $75 
more  "demanded"  was  speedily  "guaranteed"  by  telegraph. 

Salary  with  Benjamin  Bausman  was  of  course  a  minor  concern. 
He  had  an  independent  income  and  made  large  subscriptions  to 
church  objects,  even  in  this  early  day.  He  learned  the  lesson  of 
charity  from  his  parents  and  his  eye  was  keen  to  see  and  his  hand 
ready  to  help  the  needy. 

Mrs.  Lizzie  A.  Reily  tells  of  how  one  day  he  sat  in  a  room  of 
their  home  and  the  family  washer- woman  passed  through.  He 
spoke  but  a  few  words  with  her  and  discerned  at  once  her  distress 
and  said  to  Mother  Schrack,  "That  woman  has  trouble,  I  wonder 
if  they  have  enough  to  eat,"  and  promptly  sent  her  a  substantial 
gift,  which  he  learned  later  was  greatly  needed. 

Though  not  strong  physically,  and  often  feeling  overburdened 
by  the  pastoral  claims  of  his  parish,  Benjamin  Bausman  found 
time  to  write  many  articles  for  publication,  during  the  first  three 
years  at  Lewisburg.  In  the  German  Reformed  Messenger  and 
in  the  Guardian  more  than  thirty  articles  from  his  pen  were 
published  during  this  time.  A  week  before  his  ordination  he  was 
already  at  work  on  a  series  of  "Sketches,"  which  are  signed 
"Spectator."  They  are  eleven  in  number  and  run  through  the 
year;  but  the  first  five  appear  in  the  several  issues  of  the  Messenger 
for  March.  They  are  spicy,  pointed  and  practical.  In  them,  he 
seems  to  be  finding  himself  in  the  several  topics  discussed,  and 
clarifies  his  own  judgment  on  them  as  he  expresses  himself  for 
the  benefit  of  others.  There  was  very  little  modification  of  these 
views  even  to  the  end  of  his  life. 

"No,  1"  tells  of  a  drunken  father  who  came  to  ask  him  to 
ofiiciate  at  the  funeral  of  his  daughter.  The  gist  of  his  reflection 
is  that,  while  "we  feel  deeply  concerned  for  the  salvation  of  the 
pagan  world,  we  should  pray  and  feel  no  less  for  our  countrymen 
and  neighbors  whose  wretchedness  we  daily  witness." 

Other  "Sketches"  call  for  the  honoring  of  the  hoary  head,  that 

children  obey  parents,  that  parents  train  up  children  rightly.     On 

this  latter  important  theme  he  was  as   emphatic   and   urgent 

as  young  ministers  generally  are.      "No.  5"  is  a  comical  sketch 

7 


98  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

of  tobacco  chewing  and  spitting  in  churches,  which  he  thought 
was  due  to  the  example  of  ministers.  He  Hved  to  see  great 
improvement  touching  this  habit.  "No.  6"  calls  for  better 
congregational  singing  and  deprecates  "praising  God  by  proxy" 
through  choirs.  "No.  8"  would  still  be  an  excellent  tract  for 
the  times.  It  deprecates  the  profaning  of  the  sanctuary  and  the 
ministerial  office,  by  church  sales,  secular  announcements  at 
church  services,  etc.  The  last  of  the  "Sketches"  is  a  trenchant 
plea  for  "more  ministers."  Every  fourth  charge  in  the  Church 
was  vacant,  one  hundred  ministers  were  needed  at  once.  At 
that  time,  Dr.  Wolff,  who  was  elected  to  the  Seminary  professor- 
ship, held  his  acceptance  in  abeyance,  and  the  sketch  scores  those 
ministers  who  "retired  in  dignified  ease  or  abandoned  preach- 
ing for  teaching." 

Other  articles  appeared  signed  by  "B.  B."  or  by  his  full  name; 
but  in  December,  1854,  he  took  the  nom-de-plume  "Nathan," 
and  showed  himself  to  have  the  same  fearless  directness  as  the 
original  of  that  name.  "Nathan"  stirred  things,  his  articles 
were  taken  up  by  other  correspondents  and  quoted  by  various 
papers,  and  Dr.  E.  V.  Gerhart  called  him  "the  best  contributor 
we  have  had  for  years." 

Eleven  articles  were  signed  "Nathan"  before  he  narrated  over 
that  signature  his  experiences  and  observations  abroad.  The 
first  shows  Mr.  Bausman's  keen  discernment  of  a  subtle  tempta- 
tion which  comes  to  the  minister.  It  is  entitled  ''Abuse  of  the 
Pulpit."  It  warns  against  the  use  of  personal  ties  in  the  sermon, 
lest  the  pulpit  become  "a  lingual  whipping  post." 

A  most  comical  article  is  that  on  "The  Sleeping  Worshiper," 
sympathetic  withal,  for  he  himself  as  a  young  man  knew  how 
hard  it  was  to  keep  awake  on  a  hot  Sunday  after  a  toilsome  week, 
especially  under  a  dry  sermon.  "Criticism  versus  Puffing" 
shows  his  passion  for  the  genuine  and  real  and  calls  for  honesty 
in  book  reviewing,  that  we  may  have  reliable  critics  as  "ushers 
in  the  hall  of  letters."  In  no  expression  of  his  was  shown  keener 
insight  into  the  moral  needs  of  the  church  than  in  the  article, 
"Sweep  Before  Your  Own  Door,"  which  appeared  in    March, 


LEWISBURG  99 

1855,     The  "belligerent  attitude"  of  the  different  denominations 
is  noted: 

It  is  rare  to  find  an  article  which  does  not  smell  of  brimstone. 
We  are  slow  to  see  our  own  defects  but  evince  astonishing  skill 
to  see  those  of  other  churches.  We  are  very  much  afraid  of 
Puritanism  and  at  times  evince  greater  concern  about  its  impuri- 
ties than  our  own;  we  should  sweep  before  our  own  door. 

We  claim  that  we  have  not  enough  ministers  to  give  our  people 
the  bread  of  life.     That  will  not  exonerate  us. 

We  have  not  enough  of  the  spirit  of  Christ  among  us,  for  this 
after  all  is  the  real  cause.  ...  In  point  of  zealous  missionary- 
enterprise,  Puritanism  furnishes  us  a  worthy  model  for  imita- 
tion. .  .  .  We  are  like  Bunyon's  man  with  the  muck  rake  who 
could  not  see  the  celestial  crown  above  him,  because  he  was  too 
busy  raking  together  the  straws,  sticks  and  dirt  of  the  floor. 
We  should  first  try  and  cure  our  own  evils.  Therefore  to  your 
tents  and  to  your  brooms,  O  Israel,  and  sweep  before  your  own 
doors. 

These  articles  opened  the  eyes  of  the  Reformed  Church  to  the 
fact  that  it  had  in  the  man  who  wrote  as  "Nathan"  a  new  spir- 
itual leader  and  it  was  quick  to  turn  to  him. 

Seven  articles  for  the  Guardian  were  written  during  this  period 
and  the  first  three  were  translations  from  the  German:  "The 
Earthly  and  the  Heavenly  Bride,"  "Defects  in  the  Education 
of  our  Daughters"  and  "Golden  Thoughts  for  Parents."  This 
was  at  a  time  when  there  was  much  written  on  the  education  of 
young  women  in  that  splendid  young  people's  magazine.  The 
simplicity  and  piety  enjoined  in  these  articles  would  be  con- 
sidered very  old  fogyish  in  the  twentieth  century — e.  g.,  "the  in- 
judicious custom  of  giving  parties  to  children." 

The  other  four  articles  were  contributed  in  the  latter  half  of 
the  year  1855.  "Botanical  Reflections"  is  a  very  beautiful  and 
significant  article.  He  has  "a  feeling  for  flowers,  akin  to  the 
tenderness  which  parents  have  for  children."  He  dislikes  the 
"murderous  business"  of  "post  mortem  examination"  of  them, 
which  is  "vandalism."  The  living  flower  interests  him  rather 
than  its  scientific  dissection;  so  religion  interests  him  as  a  thing 
of  life  rather  than  critical  examinations  and  theological  discus- 
sions.    This  article  expresses  his  religious  point  of  view,  viz., 


100  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

that  the  vital  and  the  practical  rather  than  the  abstract  and 
the  theoretical,  are  pre-eminent  in  their  claims  upon  him. 

Another  article  full  of  humorous  hints  and  striking  metaphors 
is  on  "Titles  and  Toys"  and  criticises  the  "indiscriminate  ex- 
travagance of  conferring  titles," — "the  dashing  business  our 
college  boards  are  doing  in  the  dubbing  mania. "  We  can  see 
in  this  article  the  determination  of  the  young  pastor  to  be  gen- 
uine. He  wants  no  "feathers  in  the  cap  of  his  character."  He 
will  be  true  and  ring  true,  as  he  boldly  utters  the  convictions 
of  his  soul,  and  he  asks  no  other  guaranty.  He  closes  with 
this  noble  passage:  "Let  the  world  applaud  or  renounce,  speak 
out.  O,  stifle  not  the  utterance  of  your  generous  nature,  your 
deeds  are  your  diplomas,  known  and  read  of  all  men. " 

To  have  written  so  much  in  the  trying  years  of  beginning  his 
ministry  was  a  proof  of  his  unusual  mental  vigor.  What  he 
said  was  so  sound,  timely  and  wholesome,  that  he  won  the  con- 
fidence of  the  Church  at  once.  He  loved  to  have  a  parish,  but 
he  was  too  big  for  service  in  but  one  charge;  the  entire  Church 
must  be  his  parish. 

Benjamin  Bausman's  writings  at  the  beginning  of  his  ministry 
gave  fine  and  full  promise  of  the  copious  and  helpful  literary  work 
which  was  to  flow  in  continuous  blessing  on  the  Church  for  fifty 
years. 

The  most  annoying  feature  of  Mr.  Bausman's  early  ministry 
at  Lewisburg  was  the  hypocritical  sectarianism  with  which  he 
had  to  contend.  Because  of  his  temper  and  training  he  hated  this 
spirit  of  sect  and  schism  which  was  much  more  prevalent  then 
than  now,  and  would  be  found  at  its  worst  in  a  small  town  where 
each  of  the  several  denominations  would  be  represented  with  a 
struggling  congregation.  He  fraternized  with  the  other  "or- 
thodox" ministers  of  the  town  and  exchanged  pulpits  with  them, 
and  rejoiced  in  their  esteem  and  fellowship.  He  felt  very  keenly 
the  sharp  thorns  among  these  roses,  however,  for  he  was  grieved 
and  oppressed  at  any  breach  of  trust.  Regarding  one  of  them 
who  coaxed  "a  pious  young  lady,"  one  of  his  members,  "to  the 
anxious  bench,"  he  wrote  to  his  friend  and  neighbor,  the  Rev. 
Chas.  H.  Leinbach: 


LEWISBURG  101 

I  try  to  believe  the  fellow  was  sincere,  though  it  led  him  to 
steal.  I  don't  blame  the  man  so  much  as  the  abominable  sect 
spirit  which  is  inseparable  from  Protestantism.  It  tempts  a 
man  to  steal  and  rob.  I  don't  trust  myself.  Perhaps  I  would 
do  the  same  thing  if  I  had  the  chance.  Ach,  Charlie,  der  Teufel 
hat  gewiss  zu  viel  zu  thun  mit  diesem  gauzen  Wesen.* 

By  the  way,  have  you  ever  read  "Mohler's  Symbolism?" 
Ahj  but  that  fellow  can  take  the  Protestant  scales  off  a  man's 
eyes.  Such  unneighborly,  uncourteous  treatment  uncovers 
afresh  the  festering  sores  of  a  dismembered  church  and  impels 
one  to  read  Catholic  books.  Ah,  Charlie,  there  is  something  in 
the  matter  and  manner  of  these  Catholic  authors  which  must 
inspire  us  with  confidence.  If  a  man  has  half  an  eye  he  can  see 
that  they  have  infinitely  the  advantage  over  Protestants  in  point 
of  logic  and  history.  The  Lord  have  mercy  upon  us  in  our  un- 
deniable predicament. 

In  a  similar  strain  he  wrote  to  Herman  Rust: 

I  have  just  read  a  short  article  of  yours  in  the  "  Kirchenzeit- 
ung,"  addressed  to  the  Salem  Sabbath-school.  I  admire  your 
success  in  simplicity  of  style.  It  is  a  rare  gift  to  be  childlike  either 
in  habit  or  style.  It  is  after  all  the  language  of  simple,  una- 
dorned nature  that  speaks  to  the  heart,  and  moves  the  affec- 
tions of  the  school-boy  and  the  sage.  When  I  read  that  short 
touching  article,  penned  by  one  with  whom  I  feel  myself  united 
by  so  many  lovely  affinities,  I  almost  realized  the  wish  expressed 
in  one  of  our  popular  odes,  "I  wish  I  were  a  boy  again."  I  felt 
like  a  boy,  eagerly  read  over  the  contents  as  if  they  really  had 
been  intended  for  me,  tears  rolled  down  my  cheeks,  and  perhaps 
I  was  fully  as  much  moved  and  benefited  as  those  children  were 
when  they  heard  your  letter  read.  O,  how  precious  an  unassum- 
ing, childhke  disposition!  No  wonder  that  ''of  such  is  the 
kingdom  of  heaven."  There  is  so  much  deception  even  among 
the  best  of  men,  and  what  makes  it  still  worse,  in  our  own  hearts. 
If  we  could  only  retain  the  spirit  and  disposition  of  early  child- 
hood! But  our  own  sad  experience  proves  that  it  is  naturally 
impossible.  We  must  therefore  again  "become  as  little  chil- 
dren" by  grace.  But  O,  how  slow  the  process!  It  is  hard  to 
see  how  I  have  grown  more  childlike  in  spirit  in  the  last  few 
years.  It  is  extremely  difficult  for  a  Protestant  minister  under 
existing  circumstances  to  excel  in  that  meekness  and  lowliness 
of  spirit  which  the  Gospel  requires  of  us.     The  whole  question 

*Ah,  Charlie,  the  devil  surely  has  too  much  to  do  with  this  whole  business. 


102  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

simply  resolves  itself  into  this,  where  people  have  no  faith  in 
the  church,  they  must  have  faith  in  the  minister.  And  to  se- 
cure faith  in  him,  he  must  be  pretty,  he  must  be  thoroughly  at 
home  in  sacred  cunning,  and  abound  in  the  milk  and  water  elo- 
quence of  modern  pulpit  fustian,  which  he  has  to  mince,  mutter, 
and  mum,  according  to  the  tastes  and  capacities  of  his  hearers. 
Look  at  the  stimulants  that  surround  a  minister,  and  are  cal- 
culated to  excite  a  morbid  ambition  and  a  desire  to  excel  in  the 
above  named  qualifications.  Here  is  the  endless  everywhere- 
prevailing  competition  between  Protestant  churches,  this  ac- 
cursed selfish,  disguised  Jesuitism,  which  boasts  of  its  fraternal 
feelings,  prays  for  a  man  and  his  cause  and  his  congregation  on 
his  own  pulpit,  but  does  all  in  its  power  secretly  to  undermine 
him,  for  the  kingdom  of  ChrisVs  sake.  Here,  amid  [the  fuss  and 
flurry  of  this  Christless,  graceless  warfare,  a  man,  to  move  along 
successfully,  must  be  capable  of  stooping  to  little  mean  acts,  to 
pander  to  a  perverted  public  taste,  however  corrupt,  and  to 
speak  and  act  as  soft  as  the  veriest  mush-head  that  ever  flourished 
and  figured  through  "the  human  face  divine."  And,  more- 
over a  man  must  be  an  unyielding  sectarian,  a  narrow-hearted 
niggardly  bigot.  If  he  lacks  these  inglorious  qualities,  his  dearly 
beloved  brethren  (?)  will  rob  him  of  his  members  and  material. 
Surely  we  would  like  to  build  up  our  congregations,  and  if  we 
would  do  this,  we  must  possess  the  above  popular  requisites. 
This  excites  desires  and  aspirations  in  me  which  I  know  and 
feel  are  damnable  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  which  I  abhor  in  my 
innermost  soul.  Under  such  circumstances,  a  man  is  either 
driven  to  Christ  or  despair,  to  repose  in  Him  like  a  helpless 
child  or  be  swept  along  with  the  general  current.  My  own  ex- 
perience has  been  a  painful  teacher  to  me  in  this  respect.  Here 
is  the  pastor  of  the  largest  and  wealthiest  congregation  of  the 
place.  To  my  face  he  treats  me  very  kindly,  brothers  me  all 
over,  feigns  great  love  and  concern  for  our  church  in  general, 
and  my  congregation  in  particular.  And  yet  this  man,  whom 
I  wish  well,  and  pray  the  Lord  to  forgive  his  faults,  this  man, 
who,  I  believe,  gets  a  salary  of  $800,  and  I  $350,  who  professes 
to  be  such  a  warm  brother  in  Jesus,  this  man  sneaks  around 
through  some  of  our  famihes,  and  attempts  to  entice  them  to 
his  church.  I  have  no  fears  whatever  that  he  will  succeed.  The 
hearts  of  our  people  are  with  the  church  and  therefore  with  me. 
But  his  meanness  grieves  me  so, — this  dastardly  meanness,  and 
unchristian  cowardice,  which  fawns  and  cringes  before  a  man's 
face,  and  will  skulk  behind  his  back  in  unscrupulous  deception. 
Don't  you  believe  if  he  could  take  away  the  third  part  of  my 
congregation,  he  would  do  it,  if  he  knew  that  the  remaining  two- 


LEWISBURG  103 

thirds  would  thereby  be  driven  back  into  the  world  or  to  woe? 
But  of  course  he  would  do  it  for  the  glory  of  God.  0,  it  is  hard 
to  look  at  the  wounded  dismembered  body  of  Christ. 

And  this  accounts  for  the  present  anomalous  position  of  our 
Church.  Owing  to  the  teaching  of  our  professors,  our  member- 
ship for  a  number  of  years  past  have  largely  imbibed  a  catholic 
anti-sect  spirit.  They  see  the  contradiction  between  Sectarian- 
ism and  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel.  They  unconsciously  have  been 
led  to  see  this.  Both  ministers  and  the  laity  abhor  Sectarianism. 
And  yet  a  denominational  existence  apart  from  Sectarianism  is 
both  a  moral  and  a  physical  impossibility.  I  know  full  well 
that  our  professors  are  not  German  Reformed.  I  have  known 
this  ever  since  I  could  understand  their  writings  and  lectures. 
But  can  you  think  hard  of  a  man  when  his  faith  and  Christian 
charity  is  too  broad  to  be  confined  within  the  narrow  limits  of 
any  particular  part  of  the  Christian  Church?  Don't  you  feel 
just  the  same  on  that  point?  I  am  sure  I  do.  That  was  the 
main  reason  why  Dr.  Nevin  wished  to  be  loose  from  the  College 
and  Seminary.  He  knew  long  ago  that  he  was  not  a  German 
Reformed  in  spirit,  but  an  evangelical  Catholic,  and  has  often 
and  freely  avowed  his  convictions  on  this  point.  If  we  wish 
to  maintain  the  distinctive  character  of  our  Church,  your  fears 
and  complaints  are  perfectly  correct,  and  the  half  you  have  not 
told.  Neither  Dr.  Nevin  or  Schaff,  nor  the  Ref.  Messenger  are 
exponents  of  Reformed  doctrines.  I  have  been  disgusted  with 
the  Western  Missionary;  but  I  fear  the  Messenger  is  going  to  the 
other  extreme.  This  everlasting  glorifying  of  our  Church,  and 
all  because  Dr.  Nevin  is  in  it,  is  sickening  and  puerile  in  the  ex- 
treme. I  love  and  admire  Dr.  Nevin.  But  I  am  sure  he  don't 
want  us  to  act  the  fool  with  him.  The  Messenger  should  be  free 
from  Dr.  Nevin  and  every  other  man.  And  if  Fisher  will  not 
soon  pursue  another  course,  the  Lord  only  knows  what  a  rock 
he  will  prepare  on  which  to  shatter  our  Church.  What  has  the 
school  question,  the  glories  of  the  Roman  Church,  and  the  thou- 
sand and  one  questions  of  the  day  which  are  odious  to  the  Pro- 
testant world,  to  do  with  the  consolidation  and  building  up  of 
our  Church?  They  may  be  true,  but  they  are  not  seasonable 
under  present  circumstances.  What  we  need  now  is  to  unite 
our  forces,  to  cultivate  a  general  church  consciousness,  not  to 
drive  off  our  best  congregations  by  assuming  positions  we  can- 
not carry  out. 

One  can  readily  see  how  this  racy  and  forceful  letter  ran  hot 
out  of  his  bitter  experiences  in  his  parish. 

Yet  with  all  his  catholicity  and  liberality  of  spirit  he  was  not  a 


104  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

latitudinarian,  neither  then  nor  at  any  time  in  his  life.  An  in- 
cident of  the  first  year  of  his  ministry  shows  this.  A  new  de- 
nomination was  starting  in  the  town  and  its  minister  came  and 
asked  Mr.  Bausman  to  preach  for  him.  He  refused,  giving  as  his 
chief  reason:  "The  fundamental  difference  between  us  was  too 
great  to  have  any  church  fellowship." 

His  yearning  for  ministerial  fellowship  found  harmonious 
satisfaction  among  the  neighboring  brethren  of  his  own  com- 
munion who  in  less  than  a  year  after  his  arrival  formed  them- 
selves into  an  "association"  at  his  room.  It  was  "a  most  de- 
lightful intercourse"  and  we  feel  quite  sure  he  was  its  leading 
spirit.  They  frequently  exchanged  pulpits  and  had  outings  to- 
gether. There  were  many  charms  in  this  life  and  he  reveled  in 
it. 

In  the  year  1855  he  was  importuned  by  Dr.  G.  W.  Williard  and 
Herman  Rust  to  consider  the  claims  of  Ohio.  About  the  same 
time  came  the  invitation  "to  officiate  preparatory  to  a  call," 
for  the  Second  Reformed  Church  of  Reading,  made  vacant  by 
the  resignation  of  the  Rev.  Moses  Kieffer.  The  latter  was  not 
so  readily  decided  as  we  gather  from  his  diary  of  the  time:  "Lord 
help  me  to  do  right.  Oh,  how  hard  to  discern  the  path  of  duty 
sometimes."  He  was  clear  and  decided  a  few  days  later,  as  we 
see  in  his  letter  to  Rust: 

I  had  an  urgent  call  from  Kieffer's  congregation  in  Reading. 
Dechned.  No  use  to  visit  other  places  before  a  man's  mission 
is  fulfilled  in  the  one  he  has. 

I  abhor  the  reputation  of  a  hunter  of  good  charges.  My 
principle  is  that  a  man  should  remain  in  one  place  as  long  as  he 
can  be  useful,  and  not  fish  about  to  better  his  purse  and  his  belly 
whenever  he  has  a  chance. 

Rust  pined  for  the  presence  and  companionship  of  Bausman 
in  Cincinnati  and  repeatedly  urged  his  claims.  He  was  bitterly 
disappointed  when  the  final  refusal  came.  Regarding  the  con- 
sequences involved  in  such  a  change  Bausman  wrote  him: 

Heisler  remained  only  a  few  years.  And  I  was  told  repeatedly 
that  if  I  should  leave  while  the  people  feel  towards  me  as  they 
do  now,  there  would  be  a  greater  hubbub  by  far  than  when  Har- 
baugh  left.     I  scarcely  know  why  it  is  so.     My  efforts  are  cer- 


LEWISBURG  105 

tainly  very  unpretending.  Now,  my  dear  brother,  I  shall  be 
very  loath  to  leave  this  people  in  such  a  manner  as  to  tear  down 
as  much  or  more  than  I  built  up.  Nor  can  they  get  just  any- 
body they  please.  Ministers  are  scarce  in  our  Church,  especially 
such  as  would  precisely  suit  this  place.  And  I  think  it  would 
be  wiser  policy  for  us  to  keep  carefully  what  we  already  have, 
than  to  neglect  and  let  this  go  to  waste,  that  we  may  build  up 
new  and  unestablished  points.  Besides,  it  is  very  doubtful 
whether  I  would  suit  that  new  interest.  It  requires  too  much 
German  for  me.  I  am  not  the  man  for  those  foreign  Germans. 
It  needs  a  man  of  greater  polemical  skill  than  I  possess,  to  get 
along  with  those  rationalists.  Now  whilst  I  am  willing, — and 
if  I  am  not  I  pray  for  grace  that  I  may  be, — to  endure  self-denials 
for  the  Master,  and  it  seems  to  me  I  could  rejoice  in  the  privi- 
lege of  bearing  the  most  grievous  burdens  for  His  sake,  I  yet  feel 
it  a  duty  to  refrain  from  a  situation  in  which  I  would  have  to 
labor  to  great  disadvantage.  True  Gospel  self-denial  does  not 
consist  in  throwing  one's  self  into  a  position  which  one  is  unfit 
to  fill.  Do  not  you  see  then  that  your  ardent  friendship  has 
taken  captive  your  unsuspecting  judgment,  so  that  with  a  total 
disregard  of  existing  circumstances  and  the  advice  of  my  friends, 
you  urge  me  to  break  loose  here  and  accept  your  proffered  hos- 
pitality.    I  must  confess  your  offer  is  very  tempting. 

I  do  not  aspire  after  city  congregations  even  if  they  were  per- 
manently established.  I  prefer  to  labor  in  a  country  town. 
But  preference  is  not  Providence,  and  therefore  I  want  to  be 
convinced  by  Him. 

The  character  of  the  other  congregations  in  this  place  is  such 
that  they  would  take  every  advantage  of  the  absence  of  a  pastor, 
and  take  away  all  the  material  they  could.  Now  should  I  tear 
myself  away  from  them,  leave  them  shepherdless  perhaps  for 
a  year  or  more  at  the  risk  of  falling  a  prey,  to  a  great  extent,  to 
the  plunderous  proselyting  rapacity  of  other  denominations? 
This  is  a  revolting  idea  to  my  mind,  and  I  am  sure  it  would  be  to 
yours. 

The  first  part  of  the  pastorate  of  Benjamin  Bausman  at  Lewis- 
burg  terminated  with  the  end  of  March,  1856.  He  had  "con- 
templated a  visit  to  Europe  for  several  years,"  and  the  ap- 
pointment by  the  Synod  in  October,  1855,  crj^staUized  this  latent 
purpose.  The  Synod  met  in  Chambersburg  and  he  took  an 
important  part  in  it.  He  was  chairman  of  the  Committee  on 
the  State  of  Religion.  His  feelings,  purposes  and  reasons  for 
going  abroad  are  well  voiced  in  letters  to  Herman  Rust: 


106  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

October  29,  1855. 

I  am  glad,  glad  with  heart,  mind,  soul  and  strength  that  you 
have  found  an  helpmeet.  Eureka.  My  warmest  wishes  and  ar- 
dent prayers  attend  you.  Wherever  my  lot  may  fall  in  life,  the 
news  and  assurances  of  your  conjugal  happiness  will  always 
make  my  trials  less  trying,   and  my  pleasures  more  pleasant. 

I  was  appointed  delegate  to  the  Western  Synod,  and  had  in- 
tended accordingly  to  visit  the  West  next  Spring.  But  Synod 
saw  fit  to  confer  on  me  another  appointment,  which  I  think 
claims  my  first  attention.  You  will  have  learned  before  this 
reaches  you,  that  I  was  appointed  one  of  the  delegates  to  the 
German  Church  Diet  in  September  next.  I  regard  the  appoint- 
ment as  clearly  Providential,  and  therefore  feel  it  my  duty  to 
go.  I  desire  to  go  for  my  own  improvement,  to  visit  our  relatives, 
and  to  serve  the  Master  and  His  church.  God  willing,  I  will 
leave  in  the  Spring,  and  will  be  absent  at  least  one  year.  I  am 
making  efforts  to  have  my  place  supplied  during  my  absence. 
My  intended  trip  makes  quite  a  stir  in  some  quarters.  I  wish 
you  could  go  along.  "Have  married  a  wife,  etc.!"  Verzei 
mir.*  We  had  a  delightful  meeting  of  Synod.  Peace  and 
harmony  all  around.  Gerhart  is  doing  fine.  He  made  and  is 
still  making  many  friends.  I  am  almost  ashamed  of  this  singu- 
lar letter.  Forgive  my  nonsense.  I  am  a  queer  compound. 
I  usually  pour  out  my  whole  heart  into  my  letters.  All  its  con- 
tents, secrets  and  publics,  follies  and  foibles,  serious  and  silly 
things,  like  so  many  nuts  and  shells,  are  tumbled  onto  paper. 
Shake  the  hand  of  your  dear  one  right  heartily  and  lovingly  for 
Your  Friend, 

Benny. 

I  would  be  very  glad  if  you  could  accompany  me  to  Europe, 
but  "I  have  taken  a  wife,  and  therefore  I  cannot  go."  Thank 
God  for  it.  You  have  more  than  a  dozen  European  tours  could 
give  you — a  loving,  affectionate  wife.  Glad  as  I  am  in  being 
able  to  make  this  tour,  and  much  as  I  prize  such  a  privilege,  I 
would  be  willing  to  forego  all,  for  a  boon  the  want  of  which  under 
any  circumstances  must  be  regarded  as  a  Providential  calamity. 
In  its  most  tolerable  aspect,  it  is  a  necessary  evil.  Heaven  pity 
the  man  doomed  to  endure  it! 

The  Church  Diet  is  merely  the  occasion  of  my  tour,  not  the 
cause  of  it.  If  the  other  delegates  will  be  present,  it  will  be 
useless  for  me  to  be  there.     My  object  is  more  particularly  to 

*Excuse  me. 


LEWISBURG  107 

visit  our  relatives,  and  to  travel.  I  think  in  the  providence  of 
God,  this  is  just  what  I  need.  Sometimes,  and  especially  re- 
cently, I  have  felt  exceedingly  unpleasant.  It  is  hard  to  be  a 
minister  in  our  Church.  Our  training  begets  theological  un- 
certainty and  distrust.  We  are  taught  the  nature  of  and  warned 
against  the  influence  of  error,  where  it  is  impossible  wholly  to 
avoid  it.  With  such  a  fault-finding  training,  which  qualifies 
a  man  to  detect  the  ulcers  in  his  own  system,  magnified  tenfold 
by  his  blear-eyed  vision,  it  is  extremely  difficult  to  be  its  firm 
and  faithful  apologist.  I  will  not  say  that  my  views  are  cor- 
rect. That  is  precisely  the  misery  of  my  present  position.  To 
show  a  man  that  a  view  or  position  is  false,  and  get  him  to  abandon 
it  without  giving  him  a  better  one  to  stand  on,  is  only  making 
bad  worse.  That  which  is  distinctively  Reformed,  or  Protest- 
ant, in  Mercersburg  Theology,  lacks  the  positive  element  just 
as  much  as  the  rankest  Puritanism.  The  great  characteristic 
is  der  Geist  der  stets  verneint*  which  is  prolific  of  scepticism. 
Sometimes  these  theological  suspicions  and  practical,  visible 
illustrations  of  false  tendencies  around  me,  in  addition  to  my 
natural  timidity  and  want  of  confidence  in  my  mental  and  moral 
fitness  to  preach,  have  made  me  feel  very  unpleasant.  I  have 
wished  that  the  Lord  might  relieve  me  from  such,  to  me,  unpleas- 
ant relations.  I  have  had  many  happy  seasons  in  the  ministry. 
I  have  often  thanked  God  that  He  has  called  me  into  it.  He 
has  signally  blessed  my  labors.  And  yet!  And  yet!  This 
sense  of  uncertainty  and  doubt!  Perhaps  it  is  from  the  Devil. 
O  what  poor  sinful  beings  we  are. 

I  think  my  better  plan  is  to  quit  preaching  for  a  season.  My 
people  have  unanimously  requested  me  not  to  resign.  I  still 
felt  as  though  I  should  resign.  But  it  is  hard  to  tear  one's  self 
loose  from  a  people,  with  whose  affections  and  prayers  his  very 
being  is  interwoven.  I  felt  sad  on  account  of  a  request  which 
ought  to  have  been  a  source  of  joy,  and  my  strong  vigorous  man- 
hood shed  gushing  tears  because  my  congregation  granted  me 
leave  of  absence  for  fifteen  months,  and  besought  me  to  continue 
their  pastor.     What  strange  stuff  we  are  made  of? 

Thus,  then  in  Gottes  Namen,  I  expect  to  enter  upon  this 
journey.  What  the  result  will  be,  God  only  knows.  I  feel 
satisfied  that  He  will  direct  and  regulate  it  for  my  good  and  His 
Glory. 

He  wrote  in  his  diary  of  the  last  Sunday  with  his  flock:  '*0, 
how  hard  to  part  from  my  people!     Could  scarcely  preach  this 

*  The  spirit  that  constantly  denies. 


108  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

morning.  The  heart  choked  for  utterance.  This  afternoon 
every  pew  of  the  church  was  crowded.  Spoke  with  more  ease." 
On  the  next  day  while  he  was  packing  his  luggage  many  called, 
some  bringing  "presents,  others  their  tears  and  prayers."  The 
day  was  ended  with  this  touching  prayer: 

Lord  Jesus,  keep  and  preserve  my  flock.  Into  thy  hands  I 
commit  them.  Make  them  Thine,  forever  Thine.  And  now, 
Saviour,  I  go  away  from  them,  keep  the  little  ones  of  Thy  fold. 
Embrace  and  bless  them.  Support  the  old,  the  sick,  the  weak. 
In  Thy  name  I  enter  upon  my  journey.  Lord,  Thou  knowest 
I  would  honor  and  glorify  Thy  name,  thereby.  Go  with  me.  Keep 
and  preserve  me  from  all  impending  evil.  Above  all.  Holy 
Father,  for  Jesus'  sake  preserve  my  heart  from  evil,  that  I  may 
grow  in  purity  and  holiness,  and  prepare  me  to  suffer  and  do  Thy 
will  and  I  will  praise  Thee  forever.     Amen. 


CHAPTER  V 

Europe  and  the  Holy  Land — 1856-1857 

THE  Luebeck  Church  Diet,  September  9,  1856,  was  the  fixed 
point,  in  Mr.  Bausman's  proposed  travels.  He  purposed 
to  visit  his  relatives  in  Germany,  and  many  other  places  must 
be  seen;  but  what  shall  his  course  be?  How  can  he  travel  with 
most  profit?  There  were  many  questions  about  which  he  wrote 
to  Dr.  Schaff  before  starting  and  he  spoke  thus  of  his  plans: 

I  shall  spare  no  labor  nor  expense  to  make  a  pious  and  profit- 
able improvement  of  my  time.  I  desire  to  spend  five  or  six 
months,  if  I  have  them  to  spare,  at  one  of  the  Univers- 
ities. Where  think  you  could  I  get  some  Ketzer  Pflasterf*  I 
want  to  see  Europe  dead  and  alive.  I  want  to  see  her  in  her 
dishabille,  her  week  day  dress.  Hence  my  tour  will  be  a  rough 
and  tumble  Wanderschaft,  in  which  I  will  sing  and  pipe  my 
way  along  von  Ort  zu  Ort,^  so  as  best  to  improve  my  craft. 

His  beloved  teacher  took  great  interest  in  the  purposed  visit 
to  many  scenes  with  which  he  was  famihar,  and  his  advice  was 
most  valuable.  He  should  see  and  study  "interesting  men  who 
are  after  all  worth  more  than  things."  Dr.  Schaff  gave  him 
scores  of  names  of  teachers  and  preachers  whom  he  should  hear 
and  visit,  with  letters  of  introduction  to  many  of  them. 

Mr.  Bausman  had  been  dissuaded  from  taking  the  second 
year  in  the  Seminary  course,  and  he  was  never  satisfied.  His 
passion  was  to  serve  his  Master  efficiently,  and  the  trip  abroad 
gave  him  what  he  could  not  get  from  study  alone.  He  endured 
privations  and  made  perilous  ventures  with  this  end  in  view, 
trusting  Providence  to  guard  him  from  danger  because  his  motive 
was  pure.  He  gleaned  an  experience  and  a  fund  of  first  hand 
information  touching  the   Church,   Christian  life  and  religion, 

*  Plaster  or  cure  for  a  heretic, 
t  From  place  to  place. 
109 


110  THE    LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

which  gave  him  a  unique  and  commanding  influence,  and  he 
crystalUzed  and  conserved  it  in  his  articles  and  books. 

He  wrote  about  forty  articles  for  publication  while  abroad; 
they  were  fresh  and  readable,  from  vivid,  first  impressions  and 
signed  "Nathan;"  twelve  appeared  in  the  Guardian  under  the 
general  title  ''My  Pilgrim's  Pouch ;"  twenty-five  in  the  Messenger 
under  the  heading  "Foreign  Correspondence;"  two  in  the 
Western  Missionary  and  a  few  in  the  Lewisburg  Chronicle. 
The  books  came  later,  "Sinai  and  Zion"  in  1861,  "Wayside 
Gleanings"  in  1875. 

The  interval  between  lea\ing  Lewisburg  and  taking  ship  was 
occupied  in  a  visit  to  his  father's  home  and  in  preparation  for  his 
departure.  The  application  for  his  passport  of  the  Lancaster 
Notary  gives  us  an  outline  sketch  of  Benjamin  Bausman's  person 
as  he  was  then,  in  his  thirty-third  year:  "Stature,  six  feet — fore- 
head, medium,  oval — eyes,  hazel — nose,  Roman — mouth,  mediimi 
— chin,  long — hair,  dark  brown — complexion,  light — face,  long." 

Dr.  Schneck,  who  likewise  attended  the  Luebeck  Diet,  was 
also  a  man  of  great  stature.  Their  friends  rallied  them  and  said 
they  needed  not  to  fear  drowning  in  case  of  shipwreck  on  the  At- 
lantic, as  they  could  easily  wade  to  shore. 

A  few  days  before  the  departure,  Father  Bausman  gathered 
his  children,  along  with  their  children — a  company  of  about 
forty — to  the  old  home,  that  the  traveler  might  begin  his  long 
journey  with  the  family  blessing.  The  grandchildren  are  now 
grandparents,  but  they  remember  vividly  the  happy  reunion, 
with  what  wonder  they  thought  of  their  uncle's  visit  abroad  and 
they  still  cherish  the  precious  mementoes  given  them  by  their 
kindly  grandfather. 

Mr.  Bausman  went  on  board  the  steamer  Atlantic,  at  the 
Canal  Street  wharf,  New  York  City,  on  Saturday  morning, 
April  12th,  and  arrived  at  Liverpool  within  eleven  days.  He 
soon  discovered  that  he  was  not  cut  out  to  be  a  sailor,  for  he  was 
among  the  first  to  become  seasick.  He  always  had  to  suffer 
from  that  disgusting  nausea  when  on  a  boisterous  sea.  Dressed 
"like  a  Cahfornia  gold  digger,"  the  minister  was  disguised;  but 
before  the  week  was  out  his  identity  was  disclosed  through  one 


EUROPE  AND  THE  HOLY  LAND  111 

who  knew  of  him  as  minister  and  writer.  The  genial  Captain 
Eldridge  had  him  preach  the  second  Sunday  on  board,  and  a 
most  impressive  and  effective  sermon  it  was  on  Jer.  12:  2,  "What 
wilt  thou  do  in  the  swelling  of  Jordan."  He  was  humbly  grateful 
for  the  good  it  did,  as  judged  from  the  many  words  of  apprecia- 
tion from  the  passengers.  He  modestly  wrote  to  his  brother 
Philip:  "It  was  the  occasion  and  their  relish  for  the  truth  and 
not  the  manner  in  which  I  said  it.  For  they  seemed  to  listen 
with  almost  breathless  attention,  so  that  they  snatched  thoughts 
and  words  from  my  lips  before  they  were  rightly  uttered." 

Next  to  his  own  race,  the  Germans,  no  people  appealed  to  him 
more  than  the  Scotch.  He  loved  them  for  their  piety  and  moral 
rigor,  for  their  poetry  and  literature.  He  hurried,  therefore,  a 
few  days  after  his  arrival  at  Liverpool  toward  Edinburgh,  "the 
monumental  city  of  Great  Britain,"  its  "northern  Athens." 
The  word  Lancaster  had  charms  and  associations ;  it  was  the  name 
of  his  home  town  in  America,  hence  he  must  see  the  original  in 
England.  He  stopped  there  a  few  hours  but  was  not  favorably 
impressed  with  the  "smoky  town,  with  steep  hills  and  crooked 
streets  bearing  not  the  slightest  resemblance  to  my  native  Lan- 
caster." 

The  four  days  in  Edinburgh  were  made  most  delightful,  for  he 
was  entertained  part  of  the  time  by  the  distinguished  publishers, 
Clark  &  Son,  who  showed  him  much  kindness.  The  scenes  as- 
sociated with  John  Knox  the  Reformer,  and  "the  unfortunate 
yet  lovely  Mary  Queen  of  Scots"  greatly  interested  him;  but 
the  crowning  privilege  was  to  hear  Dr.  Candlish,  the  theologian, 
and  more  especially  Dr.  Guthrie,  "the  Clay  of  the  Scotch  pulpit," 
whom  he  heard  speak  for  about  fifteen  minutes.  "How  thankful 
I  felt  for  that  brief  address — that  glimpse  of  the  noble  Scotch- 
man." 

He  visited  Melrose  Abbey,  Abbotsford,  the  home  of  Sir  Walter 
Scott,  Stirling,  the  Highland  lakes  and  mountains,  pausing  at 
"Gashaliel,  where  I  wrote  in  my  Pouch  while  a  cobbler  mended 
my  boots."  He  carried  very  little  baggage  with  him — at  first, 
a  carpet  bag  which  later  in  his  travels  was  exchanged  for  a  lighter 
valise,  for  he  had  not  gone  far  in  his  wanderings  until  he  wrote 


112  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

to  his  brother,  "I  am  sorry  I  did  not  take  still  less  baggage  with 
me." 

A  Sunday  was  spent  in  Glasgow  and  a  day  at  Ayr,  the  home 
of  Burns.  The  visit  to  "Scotia,  lovely  land,"  was  all  too  short, 
but  he  had  to  be  going  and  he  exclaimed  on  leaving: 

I  love  her  history  and  heroes,  her  poets  and  her  peasants,  her 
mountains  and  her  moors.  Should  I  live  to  return  to  my  native 
land  I  will  read  her  bards  with  greater  pleasure,  and  try  to  be  a 
better  man  for  having  visited  the  scenery  which  their  genius  has 
embelhshed  and  the  blood  of  heroes  enriched. 

He  was  delighted  with  the  Scotch,  so  "frank  and  ardent  in 
their  intercourse  with  strangers,"  but  there  was  one  foul  stain 
upon  the  land's  fair  fame  which  seemed  to  haunt  him  in  its  hideous- 
ness — the  Cowgate,  the  old  town  of  Edinburgh.  "A  filthier, 
wickeder  and  more  besotted  place  it  would  be  difficult  to  find 
in  any  Christian  country,"  and  this  in  the  fairest,  wealthiest, 
and  most  pious  city  in  that  land  of  pious  people.  "How  is  this 
that  Presbyterianism  in  Scotland  annually  gives  millions  to 
missions  and  prosecutes  its  work  with  great  success,  and  here 
has  been  a  stronghold  of  Satan  in  its  chief  city  for  successive 
generations,  which  it  will  not  or  cannot  break  down?" 

His  parting  from  Scotland  is  with  the  prayer:  "God  bless 
these  ea,rnest  Scotch  Christians,  and  speedily  enable  them  to 
disenthrall  and  Christianize  the  old  Cowgate." 

One  feels  that  Mr.  Bausman  was  led  to  visit  Ireland  primarily 
to  see  "Sweet  Auburn!  loveliest  village  of  the  plain,"  the  "De- 
serted Village"  of  Goldsmith,  for  the  ideal  of  the  country  parson 
therein  set  forth  was  his,  and  from  no  poem  did  he  quote  so  much 
and  so  often  as  from  this.  He  was  of  course  shocked  and  dis- 
gusted with  the  squalor  and  social  depravity  of  the  Irish  peas- 
antry and  discerned  its  cause  in  land  monopoly.  Whitsunday 
was  spent  at  Dublin.  He  saw  Dr.  John  Henry  Newman  in  the 
Church  of  the  University  of  Ireland,  of  which  the  distinguished 
prelate  was  then  rector. 

After  returning  to  England,  a  Sunday  was  passed  in  Birming- 
ham, where  he  heard  the  preaching  of  George  Dawson,  Esq.,  a 
liberal  free  lance,  whom  he  classed  theologically  with  Theodore 


EUROPE  AND  THE  HOLY  LAND  113 

Parker  and  detested  with  the  same  hearty  aversion.  He  visited 
the  birthplace  of  Shakespeare  and  tarried  a  few  days  at  Oxford 
where  he  saw  Dr.  Pusey,  "the  flag  staff"  of  the  Tractarian 
Party. 

The  week  in  London  was  filled  with  sight  seeing.  As  he  went 
by  Buckingham  palace  he  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  queen — "Some- 
thing of  an  event  for  a  republican."  He  heard  the  famous  Dr. 
Gumming,  "the  audacious  Millenarian  prophet,"  and  Spurgeon, 
by  whose  simplicity  and  power  he  was  charmed.  He  never  wearied 
in  after  years  of  telling  about  the  collier  who  stood  near  him  on 
the  lofty  gallery  and  whose  grimy  face  was  soon  furrowed  by  the 
tears  which  started  at  the  sympathetic  appeal  of  the  great 
preacher. 

He  set  foot  on  the  Continent  at  Ostend,  May  29th.  "Four 
days  in  Amsterdam  where  father  spent  four  weeks  on  his  way  to 
America."  He  would  not  tarry  long  in  the  Netherlands,  with 
all  their  interest,  for  he  was  in  haste  to  see  his  relatives.  By 
steamer  he  went  up  the  Rhine,  "the  most  interesting  river  in 
the  world" — to  him  at  least,  for  it  was  associated  with  his  father 
who  had  told  him  many  a  tale  about  it  and  had  made  him  eager 
for  the  visit.  When  he  arrived  at  the  ancestral  home  he  wrote 
to  his  brother:  "All  the  way  from  Amsterdam  I  thought  of 
father,  who  passed  down  this  great  river  fifty-four  years  ago,  as 
a  young  man  bound  for  the  new  world." 

The  most  dramatic  scene  of  the  entire  visit  abroad  was  en- 
acted at  Freilaubersheim,  when  he  met  his  father's  brother  An- 
drew and  family.  He  did  not  at  once  make  known  who  he  was. 
His  cousin  Yost  did  not  trust  him  and  treated  him  very  coolly. 
His  father's  letter  and  photograph  and  gift  of  $200  dissipated  all 
doubts.  The  aged  Andrew  was  overjoyed  at  meeting  the  son  of 
his  brother  from  whom  he  had  not  heard  for  twenty-one  years. 
The  whole  family  were  much  distressed  at  their  rude  treatment, 
which  was  altogether  excusable  because  they  were  often  de- 
ceived by  impostors  claiming  to  be  relatives  from  America. 
His  visit  awakened  the  interest  of  the  entire  village  and  the 
church  service  on  the  following  Sunday  was  never  so  well  at- 
tended in  the  memory  of  the  oldest  inhabitant,  owing  to  the 


114  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

rumor  that  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Bausman  from  America  would 
preach. 

About  six  months  of  the  tour  abroad  was  spent  in  Germany 
and  Switzerland  and  over  half  of  the  book  "Wayside  Gleanings" 
is  given  to  a  description  and  discussion  of  what  he  saw 
and  thought  in  those  countries.  He  studied  the  customs,  church 
life  and  spirit  with  far  greater  thoroughness  amongst  the  Ger- 
mans than  amongst  any  other  people  he  visited  and  thus  equipped 
himself  for  leadership  in  the  practical  church  activities  of  his 
own  denomination.  No  minister  of  the  Reformed  Church  in 
the  United  States  understood  the  religious  spirit  of  the  Germans 
better  than  Dr.  Bausman.  As  one  studies  his  career  and  sees 
his  great  foresight,  keen  insight  and  wonderful  understanding 
of  the  genius  of  his  own  people,  he  is  impressed  with  the  immense 
profit  which  accrued  from  the  half  year  spent  in  the  Fatherland. 
The  problems  of  the  church  in  America  were  in  many  aspects 
the  same  as  in  Germany,  and  he  looked  on  the  life  and  results 
there  as  a  testing  school  for  our  own  profit. 

In  those  days  the  leaders  of  his  denomination  in  the  United 
States  were  trying  to  find  out  what  doctrines  and  practices  were 
genuinely  Reformed.  Some  emphasized  this,  others  that  ac- 
cording as  they  found  in  the  past  of  their  church  what  accorded 
with  their  predilections.  Benjamin  Bausman  believed  in  what 
Prof.  Euchen  has  so  notably  enunciated  of  late  years,  "that 
conceptions  are  determined  by  life,  not  life  by  conceptions." 
Therefore,  he  went  to  the  sources  and  tried  to  catch  the  spirit 
and  genius  of  his  Church  in  its  home. 

Superficial  pietists  then  as  now  were  disposed  to  sneer  at  Ger- 
man theology  and  religion,  but  he  was  always  ready  to  answer 
them  with  knowledge.  There  were  elements  in  German  religious 
life  to  deplore,  and  he  found  the  reasons  for  them;  however,  in 
its  basic  essential  qualities  of  piety,  sanity,  reverence  and  fervor, 
he  found  it  worthy  of  admiration  and  imitation. 

He  visited  many  cities,  all  places  of  any  important  connec- 
tion with  the  Reformation;  but  of  particular  interest  were  those 
on  the  Reformed  side  like  Heidelberg,  Basel,  Geneva  and  Zurich. 
He  mingled  with  the  people  at  their  fairs  and  firesides,  tarried 


EUROPE  AND  THE  HOLY  LAND  115 

at  their  universities  and  met  and  conversed  with  a  surprising 
number  of  distinguished  religious  leaders,  so  many  indeed  that 
he  wrote  to  Dr.  Schaff,  that  he  "grew  weary  of  lion  hunting." 

He  attended  many  religious  conferences.  He  was  specially 
impressed  with  the  "network  of  holy  activities"  surrounding 
Basel  where  he  was  present  at  the  anniversary  of  the  Mission 
House.  The  conference  of  Swiss  ministers  at  Schaffhausen  was 
most  congenial  and  delightful.  He  was  accompanied  at  the 
Luebeck  Evangelical  Church  Diet  in  representing  the  home 
Church  by  Dr.  B.  S.  Schneck  and  G.  W.  Griffith,  Esq.  Dr. 
Schneck,  as  senior  delegate,  made  the  address  before  the  as- 
sembly. Mr.  Bausman  addressed  the  Palatinate  convention  of 
the  Gustavus  Adolphus  Verein  and  at  the  national  meeting  of 
the  same  society  in  Bremen  was  prepared  with  an  address  but 
did  not  give  it. 

This  society,  named  after  the  great  Swedish  champion  of 
Protestantism,  was  made  up  out  of  the  Reformed,  Lutheran  and 
United  Churches  of  Germany  and  was  set  for  the  spread  and 
defense  of  Protestant  Christianity.  Harbaugh,  Schaff  and  Rust 
were  in  high  hopes  of  getting  assistance  from  this  Verein  for 
missionary  work  among  the  German  immigrants  in  Amer- 
ica. "Uncle  Sam  is  rich  enough  to  provide  for  his  own;  but  the 
immigrants  fall  partly,  at  least,  on  the  care  of  the  brethren  in 
Europe  and  this  they  ought  to  be  made  to  feel, "  wrote  Dr.  Schaff. 
The  favorable  impression  made  by  Bausman's  address  in  the 
Palatinate  meeting  of  the  Society  greatly  pleased  the  Board  of 
Domestic  Missions  and  the  following  resolution  was  passed  and 
forwarded  to  him:  "That  we  fully  approve  of  what  has  been 
done  by  Rev.  B.  Bausman,  and  that  he  be  requested  to  present 
the  matter  before  the  general  meeting  of  the  "Verein." 

Prominent  leaders  of  the  "Verein"  were  greatly  disappointed 
that  he  did  not  speak,  but  he  refrained  for  two  reasons.  The 
composition  of  the  Society  as  he  saw  it  at  Bremen  did  not  please 
him.  There  were  among  them  "many  good  men  and  many 
theologically  bad  ones."  The  Board's  plan  which  it  was  urged 
on  him  to  propose  was  that  it  should  "act  as  their  agents  in  the 
husbanding  and  distribution  of  their  funds."     "Suppose   some 


116  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

St.  Louis  or  Cincinnati  rationalist  congregation  had  asked  at 
any  time  for  support,  and  our  Board  according  to  promise  would 
have  been  compelled  to  act  as  the  servant  and  agent  of  Rational- 
ism. This  could  easily  have  happened  with  some  of  those 
mongrel  herds.  It  might  have  involved  us  in  a  most  unfor- 
tunate committal." 

He  would  have  been  glad  to  speak  and  apply  for  aid  if  he 
could  have  "proposed  one  or  more  destitute  congregations  in 
the  West  for  their  support, "  but  he  was  too  cautious  and  inimical 
to  Rationalism  to  risk  a  plan  which  would  in  any  way  implicate 
the  Board  or  the  Church  with  Rationalists.  "I  thought  it  safer 
to  drop  the  matter  altogether  for  the  present,"  he  wrote  to  Dr. 
Schaff,  who  was  eagerly  expectant  of  a  promising  outcome. 
Thus  ended  this  attempt  to  secure  help  from  abroad  for  the 
American  Church. 

We  have  seen  in  the  earlier  chapters  how  the  spell  of  the  power 
and  unity  of  the  Roman  Church  was  upon  Mr.  Bausman,  how  he 
was  grieved  at  dismembered  Protestantism.  We  are  not  to  take 
those  utterances  too  seriously,  for  they  were  made  when  he  was 
depressed  and  pained  by  the  sect  spirit  and  the  shortcomings  of 
the  Protestant  Churches.  After  the  trip  abroad  we  see  never  a 
word  to  indicate  that  the  Roman  Church  had  any  charm  for 
him.  The  condition  of  the  Irish  peasants  disillusioned  him,  and 
observations  on  the  Continent,  particularly  in  Rome,  made  the 
cure  complete.  Harbaugh  twitted  him:  "I  see  by  your  letters 
that  you  are  not  particularly  attracted  by  the  'man  of  sin,'  "Tis 
distance,'  etc.,  nuf  sed!" 

Schaff  wrote: 

You  are  right  to  dismiss  Romanizing  tendencies.  Let  the 
dead  past  bury  its  dead.  We  belong  to  the  living  generation 
and  believe  in  a  living  Christ  and  in  a  steady  progress  of  His 
Kingdom.  As  to  your  further  projects,  I  would  say,  go  to  Rome 
by  all  means,  but  do  not  stay  there.  See  the  wonders  of  the 
Eternal  City  and  then  shake  the  dust  from  off  your  feet  and  go 
to  Jerusalem,  but  do  not  remain  there  neither,  for  Christ  has 
risen  and  left  the  empty  tomb  there.  The  Greek  Church  is  at 
best  a  corpse  of  Christianity  in  a  praying  posture. 


EUROPE  AND  THE  HOLY  LAND  117 

Answering  this  letter  Bausman  said: 

"Right  to  dismiss  Romanizing  tendencies."  Eh!  bien.  Est-il 
possible.  You  perceive  I  am  getting  to  be  very  learned  and 
learning,  you  know,  can  seldom  avoid  Romanizing.  But  I  will 
see  what  the  Papa  says.  Can  I  tell  the  Messenger  and  the  Church 
whether  I  like  him  or  not? 

What  he  thought  of  the  great  Church  of  whose  supposedly 
strong  points  he  had  heard  so  much  he  wrote  after  having  seen 
Rome: 

I  do  not  wish  to  pander  to  the  tastes  of  those  who  can  relish 
no  spiritual  food  but  the  execration  and  hatred  of  anti-papal 
froth ;  but  hitherto  I  have  failed  to  find  in  Romanism  the  Church 
of  Mohler  and  Bishop  England.  Everywhere  I  find  a  striking 
discrepancy  between  the  theology  and  the  religion  of  the  Papacy. 
The  moral  turpitude  of  the  priesthood  is  acknowledged  here 
even  by  faithful  Catholics.  There  is  enough  corrupt  fruit  to 
convince  one  who  hath  a  "single  eye,"  that  the  tree  is  corrupt. 

The  moral  test  was  final  for  him. 

Church  union  is  a  beautiful  ideal  and  Bausman  favored  it 
when  it  did  not  sacrifice  the  judgments  and  principles  of  the  in- 
dividual. In  the  unions  of  various  churches  in  Germany  he  saw 
so  much  of  chafing  and  clashing  that  he  wrote  to  Schaff:  "How 
comfortable  and  gemiithlich  to  be  in  a  little  church  like  ours 
where  we  can  manage  our  own  affairs  and  need  not  be  despised 
and  hated  by  those  with  whom  we  are  fated  to  work  and  walk 
hand  in  hand." 

The  union  of  the  Reformed  and  Lutheran  Churches  in 
Germany  into  the  United  Evangelical  Church  did  not  please 
those  who  were  staunchly  loyal  to  Reformed  principles,  for  they 
were  in  danger  of  being  swallowed  up  by  the  more  numerous 
element.  The  bad  effect  on  the  American  church  was  keenly 
felt.  Herman  Rust,  born  in  Germany  and  understanding  the 
situation  there,  was  in  a  position  to  know,  as  he  worked  among 
the  German  immigrants  of  Cincinnati.     He  wrote  to  Bausman: 

By  all  means  try  to  bring  some  Ref.  devotional  works,  such 
as  prayer-  and  hymn-books,  from  which  translations  may  be 
made  for  the  use  of  our  people.     There  is  nothing  more  plain 


118  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

to  me  than  that  we  must  supply  our  Church  with  Reformed  books 
and  other  reading  matter,  in  order  to  secure  the  attachment 
of  our  members  to  our  doctrines,  etc.  If  this  be  not  done,  we 
will  never  be  able  to  escape  the  danger  of  being  swallowed  up 
by  others.  The  sad  experience  of  our  Mother  Church  in  Germany 
will  surely  be  repeated  in  this  country,  if  denominational  indif- 
ferentism,  or  rather  denominational  unconsciousness,  is  permitted 
to  reign  much  longer.  I  see  and  feel  the  ruinous  effect  of  this 
state  of  things  perhaps  more  than  any  one  else  of  our  brethren, 
because  thousands  of  persons  coming  from  the  old  country, 
though  born  and  raised  of  Ref.  parents,  have  been  so  operated 
upon  by  the  spirit  of  unionism  that  they  will  rather  enter  into 
connection  with  a  rationalistic  independent  church  than  come 
to  us.  And  is  the  same  disposition  not  already  apparent  in 
hundreds  of  our  own  members,  who  will  as  soon  join  any  other 
denomination  as  our  own?  Now  if  our  Church  is  worthy  to 
exist,  then  it  is  not  more  than  right  that  her  children  should  love 
her,  and  live,  labor  and  die  for  her;  of  course  all  in  the  Lord 
and  for  Christ's  sake. 

This  observation  and  study  in  Germany  impressed  Mr.  Bausman 
with  the  conviction  that  the  German  Reformed  Church  in  the 
United  States  had  a  mission  to  perform,  a  distinct  work  among 
its  people  which  it  alone  could  do,  and  that  the  great  task  of  her 
leaders  was  to  develop  a  definite  denominational  consciousness. 
No  minister  in  the  Reformed  Church  did  more  than  he  to  bring 
this  about. 

The  last  two  months  in  Germany  were  spent  at  Berlin.  He 
had  the  privilege  of  the  Royal  Library  through  the  kindly  offices 
of  the  American  Minister  at  the  German  capital  and  spent  much 
time  in  study  daily.  An  hour  a  day  was  given  to  the  study  of 
French.  Quite  regularly  he  strolled  through  the  Thier  Garten 
and  Unter  den  Linden.  Not  a  few  hours  were  spent  in  the  homes 
of  an  ever  increasing  number  of  friends,  many  of  them  distin- 
guished in  their  professions. 

He  had  missions  from  his  American  friends,  some  of  which, 
at  least,  he  was  privileged  to  perform.  For  Harbaugh,  he  looked 
up  the  record  of  Stahlschmidt,  one  of  the  fathers  of  the  Re- 
formed Church  in  the  United  States,  and  was  asked  to  send  the 
literature  for  a  contemplated  work  on  "Schwarmerei."  Schaff 
wanted  hymn-books  to  help  in  work  which  then  engaged  him. 
Rust  wanted  theological  and  devotional  books. 


EUROPE  AND  THE  HOLY  LAND  119 

He  had  not  been  long  abroad  before  he  learned  how  well  his 
published  letters  were  received.  Schaff  said:  "Your  letters  as 
they  appear  almost  weekly  in  our  church  papers  are  generally 
read  with  great  interest.  They  contain  the  first  fresh  and  lively 
impressions  and  if  collected  would  make  quite  a  readable  volume. 
Please  continue  to  give  us  regular  information  of  what  you  saw 
and  heard."  To  this  came  the  reply:  "Your  flattering  allusion 
to  my  letters  gave  me  much  encouragement.  After  deducting 
the  glow  of  your  undisguised  German  friendship,  there  is  still 
enough  left  to  bid  me  take  courage." 

Harbaugh,  who  wrote  many  and  very  long  letters,  full  of  regrets, 
too,  that  he  was  not  with  him,  was  continuous  and  unstinted  in 
his  praise.  The  letters  were  often  quoted  by  other  papers  and 
the  Guardian  subscription  list  was  increasing  as  never  before. 
"We  must  pay  you  in  love  if  we  have  nothing  more  and  you 
shall  be  a  life  member  when  you  get  home,"  wrote  Harbaugh 
in  reference  to  Bausman's  writing  for  the  Guardian. 

After  his  return  to  America  he  said  in  a  letter  to  Rust: 

It  was  often  a  sweet  thought  to  me,  that  although  my  cor- 
respondence was  of  small  interest  in  itself,  many  warm,  praying 
hearts  perused  it  with  friendly  joy,  and  followed  my  wild  wander- 
ings wdth  sympathetic  care.  I  felt  moved  the  other  day,  to  hear 
an  old,  gray-headed  father  say,  that  the  children,  God's  dear, 
merry,  happy  children,  always  had  a  merry  time  when  one  of 
my  letters  came.  A  sense  of  this  pleasant  interest  in  me  cheered 
many  lonely  hours  by  night  and  by  day,  when  I  was  cut  off  from 
home  communications  for  three  and  four  months  at  a  time.  O, 
there  is  a  heavenly  solace  in  knowing  that  one  is  thought  of  with 
tender  concern  by  warm  and  genial  hearts,  when  far  absent  from 
them. 

Harbaugh  also  more  than  any  other  kept  him  informed  as  to 
the  news  of  the  home  Church,  and  the  doings  at  Lewisburg:  "The 
people  there  talk  about  you  constantly  as  though  you  were 
their  little  subordinate  deity  and  they  do  it  in  the  sincerest  way. 
Prayers  are  ever  going  up  for  you." 

When  Mr.  Bausman  left  America  it  does  not  appear  that  he 
had  planned  definitely  to  visit  the  Holy  Land.  He  came  to 
this  decision  when  he  arrived  at  Berlin  and  much  of  his  study 


120  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

there  was  directed  to  making  that  tour  most  profitable.     In 
August  he  wrote  to  his  brother: 

I  have  a  burning  desire  to  visit  the  land  where  our  Saviour 
lived  and  died.  Long  have  I  thought  and  prayed  over  it.  Most 
likely  I  will  never  get  so  near  to  it  again.  At  the  south  of  Italy 
I  will  get  within  six  or  eight  days  from  it.  I  would  always  re- 
gret it  if  I  would  not  go.  I  think  I  can  serve  the  Church  by  going 
and  benefit  myself.  I  have  not  written  to  any  person  about 
this  yet.  I  would  rather  you  would  not  say  anything  for  the 
present  to  any  person.  I  will  know  more  definitely  in  a  few 
weeks  and  then  will  make  it  known  through  the  Messenger.  I 
expect  to  write  out  my  tour  through  the  Holy  Land;  perhaps 
I  may  clear  my  expenses  by  it. 

This  is  the  first  hint  we  have  of  his  intention  to  issue  a  volume. 
No  doubt  the  enthusiastic  reception  of  the  published  letters  led 
him  to  form  this  purpose. 

Mr.  Bausman  left  Berlin  on  the  14th  of  November,  1856, 
tarried  but  a  short  time  at  Dresden  and  spent  several  days,  in- 
cluding Sunday,  among  the  Moravians  at  Herrnhut.  "It  is  so 
pleasant  and  genial  among  these  people  that  I  would  fain  dwell 
with  them,"  he  wrote  in  his  Journal;  but  he  must  not  tarry  long 
anywhere  now,  for  he  is  bound  for  Rome.  A  few  days  each 
for  Prague,  Vienna,  Trieste  and  he  was  in  Venice  at  the  beginning 
of  December.  There  he  saw  and  worshipped  in  the  same  church 
with  the  Emperor  and  Empress  of  Austria.  Milan,  Genoa  and 
Florence  with  their  historic  associations  and  artistic  claims 
could  not  be  slighted  by  the  traveler.  He  took  up  quarters  in 
the  Eternal  City  December  15th  and  remained  there  five  weeks — 
all  too  short  a  time  to  study  it  thoroughly,  but  long  enough  to 
learn  much  of  Rome — pagan,  early  Christian  and  modern. 

A  characteristic  incident  showing  his  scrupulous  honesty  hap- 
pened on  Christmas  Eve,  when  he  attended  grand  mass  held  by 
the  Pope  in  the  Sistine  Chapel  of  the  Vatican.  It  was  required 
that  all  men  in  attendance  should  wear  dress  coats,  and  the 
only  coat  he  had  with  him  was  a  frock,  well-worn  at  that.  His 
friends  told  him  of  the  strictness  of  the  rules  regarding  dress  and 
tried  to  persuade  him  to  practice  a  little  deception.  ''Tuck  the 
front  corners  of  your  coat  skirts  under,  the  guard  will  take  it 


EUROPE  AND  THE  HOLY  LAND  121 

for  a  dress  coat  then."  "No,  sirs,  honestly  or  not  at  all,"  he 
replied.  He  was  of  course  turned  back  by  the  Swiss  guards  at 
the  door.  Presently  he  approached  one,  explained  that  he  was 
a  tourist  from  America,  dear  to  all  the  sons  of  Tell,  that  this 
would  be  his  only  opportunity  to  attend  a  similar  service,  that 
his  unbecoming  coat  was  purely  a  matter  of  accident  and  not  a 
want  of  reverence  for  the  occasion.  He  won  admittance  after 
a  little  more  patience  and  heard  the  best  vocal  and  instrumental 
music  Italy  could  offer.     It  was  "perfectly  overpowering." 

On  the  day  before  leaving  Europe,  Mr.  Bausman  wrote  his 
brother: 

I  left  Rome  with  regret  on  the  21st  of  January.  With  all 
her  faults  and  reputed  vices,  she  has  some  qualities  that  im- 
prove on  acquaintance.  And  then  the  friends  I  made,  and 
which  were  daily  increasing,  increased  my  enjoyments  and  the 
ties  to  keep  me  longer  there.  The  evening  before  some  friends 
called  on  me  to  take  final  leave,  Washington  Erben  of  Lancaster, 
the  Pole  who  has  been  my  traveling  companion  since  I  crossed 
the  Appenines,  and  the  Finlander  and  the  Saxon,  generous,  warm- 
hearted young  artists,  prosecuting  their  studies  in  Rome.  As 
it  is  more  pleasant  to  travel  by  land  in  Italy,  a  party  of  six  of  us 
hired  a  carriage  to  take  us  to  Naples.  When  we  reached  the  top 
of  a  hill  at  the  end  of  the  city,  I  looked  back  for  the  last  time 
upon  the  Coliseum,  and  then  our  fiery  black  steeds  champing  their 
bits,  hurried  us  away  from  one  of  the  most  enchanting  places 
that  I  have  ever  visited. 

The  Three  Taverns,  Appii  Forum,  Puteoli,  already  he  was  on 
holy  ground  (Acts  28:  13-15).  A  few  days  in  and  about  Naples 
including  the  ascent  of  Vesuvius — "blasting  into  the  air  melted 
fiery  masses  of  rock  and  lava,  next  to  Niagara  the  grandest 
sight  I  ever  saw," — and  on  February  6,  1857,  he  embarked  on 
the  Orontes  for  Malta  and  the  Holy  Land. 

The  eight  days  on  the  island  where  St.  Paul  was  shipwrecked 
and  wintered  for  three  months  included  the  hohday  held  in  the 
great  Apostle's  honor,  and  then  four  days  of  seasick  misery  on 
the  "villainous  Valetta,  rolling  like  a  coffee  roaster  in  the  hands 
of  a  diligent  woman,"  afforded  him  a  "precious  time  to  meditate 
upon  Paul's  stormy  voyage  to  Malta." 

After  landing  at  Alexandria,  about  two  weeks  were  spent  in 


122  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

Egypt,  mostly  in  Cairo  and  its  vicinity.  He  could  not  call 
pyramid  climbing  easy  as  many  had  done:  "If  there  is  a  more 
joint-straining,  knee-skinning,  shudder-inspiring  stairway  on  the 
face  of  the  earth,  I  have  never  heard  of  it.  The  cruel  heathen 
dragged  me  to  the  top  in  eight  minutes!"  A  few  days  after  he 
wrote  in  the  Journal:  "My  legs  and  thighs  are  stiff  from  climbing 
the  great  pyramid.     Never  so  done  up  in  my  legs  before. " 

The  pilgrimage  proper  through  the  Wilderness  and  the  Land  of 
Promise  was  begun  on  March  4,  1857.  The  Rev.  Joseph  R. 
Mann  of  New  York  City  and  Mr.  Bausman  joined  in  a  contract 
with  the  dragoman  Ahmed  Saide  for  $1,500,  to  be  taken  from 
Cairo  by  way  of  Mt.  Sinai,  Ezion  Geber,  Petra,  Jerusalem  and 
Damascus  to  Beirut.  Mr.  Mann  proved  to  be  a  most  genial, 
sympathetic  and  helpful  companion  for  the  trying  trip.  There 
were  fifteen  men  in  the  caravan,  which  for  greater  safety  for  the 
journey  through  Edom  was  increased  by  the  addition  of  another 
party  at  Akaba.  Would  that  we  had  a  picture  of  Mr.  Bausman 
in  his  desert  apparel — "turbaned  gray  felt  hat,  pantaloons  over- 
laid with  gazelle  leather,  soft,  uncolored  shoes,  red  flannel  shirt, 
a  black,  coarse  burnouse,  like  a  cloak  with  a  cowl  or  cap  to  it." 

We  read  in  the  Journal  of  the  first  day:  "As  we  entered  on  the 
desert  m}'"  bosom  throbbed  with  joy.  The  air  seemed  exhilarat- 
ing, the  camels  moved  lightly  and  the  prospect  of  getting  out  on 
the  open,  free  world  to  sleep,  eat,  pray  and  live  under  God's 
pure  open  heaven,  this  was  a  thought  which  gave  me  unspeak- 
able joy.     And  now  while  I  write  I  feel  so  thankful  and  happy." 

And  well  he  might,  for  the  deep  yearning  of  years  was  to  be 
satisfied,  as  he  followed  in  the  track  of  God's  chosen  people  and 
trod  the  paths  and  saw  the  scenes  made  forever  sacred  by  as- 
sociation with  the  blessed  Christ. 

The  visit,  residence  and  study  in  Germany  gave  him  an  under- 
standing of  the  roots,  genius  and  temper  of  his  denomination 
and  made  him  the  wise  counselor  and  prudent  leader  in  the  af- 
fairs of  the  Church;  the  prayerful  pilgrimage  through  Palestine 
gave  him  better  understanding  of  things  and  people  oriental  and 
therefore  deeper  insight  into  the  truth  and  spirit  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures  and  thus  served  to  make  more  fresh,  real  and  vital 


EUROPE  AND  THE  HOLY  LAND  123 

his  preaching  and  writing  for  more  than  fifty  years.  ''Sinai 
and  Zion"  was  the  outcome  of  this  part  of  his  travels  and  it  was 
his  first  and  most  widely  circulated  book. 

The  caravan  arrived  at  Jerusalem  April  9th,  the  day  before 
Good  Friday,  and  two  days  afterward  Mr.  Bausman  penned  a 
letter  to  his  brother  Philip: 

I  am  sure  you  will  all  thank  God  with  me,  that  I  have  arrived 
in  this  most  celebrated  of  all  the  cities  in  the  world.  We  were 
thirty-seven  days  in  the  desert.  I  have  had  camel  riding  enough 
to  last  me  a  lifetime,  and  with  all  its  fatigues  am  thankful  even 
for  that. 

The  country  and  mode  of  traveling  is  so  entirely  different 
from  anything  elsewhere,  that  I  regard  my  experience  there  of 
great  importance  to  me.  We  had  to  make  all  sorts  of  shifts. 
The  first  work  when  we  got  into  our  tents  in  the  evening  was 
to  mend  our  clothes,  and  sometimes  be  without  them  while  we 
did  it.  I  bought  a  pair  of  heavy  shoes  but  they  soon 
tore.  Twice  I  had  old  pieces  of  leather,  or  dry,  hard  skins  tied 
on,  but  they  were  soon  gone  and  the  reason  why  I  am  not  stroll- 
ing after  sacred  places  on  this  pleasant  morning,  but  write  to 
you,  is  because  I  have  no  shoes  to  put  on.  The  soles  hung  and 
stripped  in  pieces  from  my  feet  and  not  being  able  to  buy  new 
ones,  I  must  keep  my  room  until  the  cobbler  mends  them.  The 
hot  sun  so  burned  my  pants  that  they  fell  apart  like  rotten. 
You  would  scarcely  have  known  me  in  my  desert  "riggins"  on 
a  camel,  with  a  bearded  face  that  has  felt  no  razor  for 
three  months.  I  saw  my  face  only  twice  on  the  whole  route, 
once  in  a  basin  of  water  and  once  through  the  mouth  of  a  well, 
way  down  in  the  water.  When  I  first  looked  in  the  glass  here 
I  almost  felt  like  starting  back  at  the  sight  of  myself. 

The  ten  rich  days  in  Jerusalem  and  vicinity  were  concluded 
with  a  final  visit  to  Gethsemane  before  breakfast  on  the  day  of 
leaving.  The  Journal  reads:  "I  went  into  the  Garden,  knelt 
down  under  a  trellised  vine  and  prayed,  then  recited  the  creed 
and  prayed  the  Lord's  Prayer  and  read  the  Saviour's  sufferings 
here  in  the  four  gospels.  Felt  refreshed  and  comforted  by  this 
retired  service  ere  leaving  Jerusalem." 

The  journey  from  Jerusalem  to  Beirut  was  made  on  horse- 
back and  covered  eighteen  days.  It  was  none  too  safe  because 
of   threatening   warfare    among    the    Arab    tribes.     Indeed    the 


124  THE    LIFE    OP   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

entire  Palestine  journey  was  full  of  peril  because  of  Bedouin 
plunderers,  and  exposure  in  the  enervating  climate.  At  Petra 
the  caravan  had  been  confronted  with  robbers,  who  had  to  be 
l)ought  off.  "I  had  passed  through  the  haunted  regions  of  Italy, 
and  looked  on  many  a  robber's  face,  but  never  have  I  seen  such 
a  cut-throat  looking  set  of  brigands  as  these."  In  the  same 
vicinity  he  had  suffered  severely  from  a  sickening  dizziness  after 
having  slept  on  the  damp  ground  under  the  open  sky. 

He  was  in  serious  peril  at  Shunem.  His  dragoman  would  not 
accompany  him.  He  insisted  on  seeing  the  village  and  turned 
aside  a  few  miles  unaccompanied.  He  was  met  by  suspicious 
Arabs.  His  unloaded  revolver,  however,  was  in  evidence  and 
they  feared  it,  so  he  escaped.  He  wrote  that  evening  of  the  in- 
cident: "I  felt  that  the  Lord  would  protect  me,  as  my  motives 
were  to  learn  something  about  the  place,  that  I  might  serve 
Him  with  it."  This  simple  life  in  the  open  agreed  with  him  well. 
"When  we  reached  Beirut,  I  weighed  one  hundred  and  ninety 
pounds,  twenty-five  more  than  I  had  ever  reached  before." 

He  took  the  steamer  Samois  by  way  of  Jaffa,  Alexandria  and 
Malta  for  Marseilles,  which  was  reached  on  May  24th,  to  his 
great  relief,  for  "no  sea  ever  treated  me  as  did  this  Mediterran- 
ean," Among  the  congenial  friends  from  whom  he  parted  at 
Marseilles  were  the  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Wm.  Arthur,  "the  most 
exemplary  Christians  I  have  met  in  my  travels."  Mr.  Arthur 
was  a  Wesleyan  and  the  author  of  a  notable  book,  "The  Tongue 
of  Fire." 

From  Paris  he  wrote  to  his  brother: 

I  had  intended  to  return  from  the  East  over  Smyrna,  Athens, 
and  Switzerland  and  visit  our  old  uncle  at  Freilaubersheim;  but 
that  would  have  taken  too  much  time.  I  feel  that  I  need  to 
spend  some  weeks  in  rest  and  quiet  at  home.  I  have  passed 
through  a  trying  and  toilsome  journey,  and  I  know  no  place  in 
the  world  now  which  I  would  rather  see  than  home.  Paris  is 
a  great  city,  but  I  have  seen  many  better  sights  than  all  its  won- 
ders put  together.  When  one  has  traveled  and  seen  so  much  he 
is  hard  to  please. 

He  was  not  now  in  a  mood  to  appreciate  the  beautiful  city 
nor  was  its  fame  of  a  character  to  appeal  to  him.     A  few  days 


REV.   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

AT    33 


EUROPE    AND   THE   HOLT   LAND  125 

there  sufficed  and  by  the  beginning  of  June  he  was  in  London. 
A  week  more  was  given  to  sight  seeing  in  the  world's  metropohs, 
during  which  he  heard  Cardinal  Wiseman  and  Baptist  Noel. 
He  had  his  "likeness  taken"  in  London.  An  insert  of  the 
same  appears  herewith. 

The  voyage  from  Southampton  to  New  York  was  slow  and 
tedious,  covering  seventeen  days,  owing  to  storms,  fogs  and  the 
repeated  breaking  down  of  the  engine.  Mr.  Bausman  suffered 
the  usual  effects.  A  bright  day  for  him  was  the  second  Sunday  on 
board  when  he  was  well  enough  to  preach.  His  text  was  John 
3:  7.  "I  knew  I  had  Unitarians  and  Universalists  for  hearers.  I 
treated  them  courteously  but  wdth  candor,"  he  wrote.  His  ser- 
mon was  well  received  and  a  number  of  persons  who  did  not 
agree  with  him  spoke  appreciatively  of  his  utterances,  among 
them  Howard,  the  actor. 

He  arrived  at  New  York  on  Sunday  the  28th  of  June  and  on 
that  evening  heard  Beecher  in  Plymouth  Church.  The  next 
day  he  tarried  in  Philadelphia  to  call  on  friends  and  relatives  of 
missionaries  in  Damascus  who  had  showed  him  great  kindness 
while  there. 

The  last  entry  in  the  Journal  of  Foreign  Travels  reads  as  fol- 
lows: 

June  30.  Left  for  Lancaster  at  7  A.  M.  With  strange  feelings 
I  approached  Lancaster.  Joy,  joy,  joy  inexpressible!  Harbaugh 
had  just  been  home  an  hour  from  the  West.  We  embraced  each 
other  on  meeting.  Dined  at  Wm.  Hoffmeier's  who  took  me 
home.  Harbaugh  went  along,  remains  with  me  all  night.  Fa- 
ther's family  knew  not  that  I  was  here.  How  glad  they  all 
seem.  My  joy  in  getting  home  to  meet  our  family  all  alive  yet, 
I  cannot  describe.  0  may  I  never  prove  ungrateful  to  my 
Heavenly  Father,  who  has  brought  me  through  so  many  trials 
and  joys,  safely  home  again.  "Here  I  raise  my  Ebenezer." 
Amen. 


CHAPTER  VI 

Lewisburg — 1857-1859 

MR.  BAUSMAN  tarried  at  Lancaster  for  three  weeks  after 
his  return  from  Europe,  but  he  hardly  got  the  quiet 
rest  which  he  desired  and  needed.  On  the  first  Sunday  of  Julj'' 
he  preached  twice  in  the  Reformed  Church  at  Millersville;  on 
the  second  Sunday,  he  preached  in  the  First  Reformed  Church, 
Lancaster,  for  Dr.  Harbaugh  and  a  few  days  thereafter  gave  a 
lengthy  lecture  at  the  same  place  on  "Egypt  and  Palestine" — 
"nearly  all  the  ministers  in  town  being  present."  Multitudes 
of  friends  flocked  to  see  him,  to  his  great  delight. 

"Brother  Harbaugh  has  been  much  with  me  since  my  arrival, 
to  my  great  comfort  and  joy."  He  was  talking  almost  con- 
tinuously during  waking  hours.  This  was  exhausting.  He  took 
a  severe  cold  and  kept  on  talking;  this  aggravated  his  trouble. 
The  Lewisburg  physician  pronounced  it  whooping-cough  and  he 
was  in  distress  for  several  months.  "My  general  health  was 
very  good  while  abroad  and  the  object  of  my  travels  has  been 
more  than  attained,"  he  could  say;  yet  he  came  back  to  be  be- 
set by  physical  annoyances  which  hindered  him  for  a  long  time. 
A  few  weeks  after  arriving  in  Lewisburg  he  wrote  in  his  diary: 
"Preaching  seems  hard  labor  to  me  just  now.  The  reaction  of 
my  travels  is  coming  on  me,  affecting  body  and  spirit." 

He  overworked  himself  and  often  complained  of  fatigue.  He 
was  so  very  glad  to  be  at  his  post  again;  the  people  were  so  eager 
to  hear  him,  that  his  responsive  nature  carried  him  beyond  his 
strength.  When  he  celebrated  the  Holy  Communion  with  his 
flock  the  first  time  after  his  return,  he  noted  in  his  diary:  "Feel 
so  happy.  Often  during  my  foreign  rovings  my  heart  longed 
for  such  a  happy  day  once  again." 

It  is  difiicult  for  us,  now  after  a  half  century,  to  reahze  the 
excitement  and  wonder  occasioned  by  his  return  from  an  exten- 

126 


LEWISBURG  127 

sive  tour.  Globe  trotting  is  now  so  common.  "Quite  a  stir  at 
my  arrival" — he  humbly  remarked,  after  coming  to  Lewisburg. 
People  stood  about  his  house  and  stared  at  his  windows.  Men, 
who  were  boys  then  in  Lancaster  County,  and  had  never  seen 
or  met  him  before,  recall  vividly  today  the  curiosity  which  his 
homecoming  excited.  This  puzzled,  surprised  and  humbled 
him,  as  we  infer  from  what  Harbaugh  says  about  it  in  a  letter 
to  him: 

"You  were  perhaps  sometimes  almost  tempted  to  regard  them 
as  fulsome  and  childish;  but  think  back,  my  dear  Benjamin, 
when  you  were  on  the  farm,  unspoiled  by  learning  and  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  "wide,  wide  world,"  how  would  you  then  have  gazed 
at  such  a  wonder  as  you  yourself  now  present  to  these  people. 
But  why  do  I  so  say  to  you,  do  you  not  know  this  well — yes, 
you  do.  You  and  I  shall  never  grow  out  of  the  sympathies  of 
the  lowly, — may  God  forbid  it." 

His  own  church  services  were  crowded.  "The  people  are  all 
on  tip-toe  to  hear  something  about  my  wanderings,  and  of  course 
my  congregation  too."  He  very  soon  began  lectures  on  Bible 
Lands  and  the  whole  town  was  interested.  He  wrote  of  them  to 
Herman  Rust  at  the  end  of  the  year: 

Am  still  holding  my  lectures.  Last  time  the  vestibules  and 
aisles  and  pulpit  were  full,  even  the  sofa  on  the  pulpit,  and  sev- 
eral hundred  went  away  who  could  not  get  in.  I  was  requested 
to  hold  them  in  a  larger  building.  Next  time  will  lecture  in  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  after  that  in  the  Methodist,  where  we  can 
seat  1000  persons.  Don't  know  why  these  silly  people  come, 
often  an  hour  before  the  time  to  get  a  seat.  Nothing  but  a 
plain  talk  on  familiar  subjects  and  scenes.  Well,  so  our  Father 
works,  "choosing  the  weak  things  of  this  world"  to  do  good. 
Sometimes  for  a  little  while  the  last  become  first.  But  really 
this  is  an  unaccountable  panic,  if  I  may  so  call  it.  I  had  expected 
that  three  or  four  lectures  would  suffice  to  wear  off  the  novelty, 
and  then  the  audience  would  dwindle  down  to  ordinary  size. 
Aber  so  isch  es  ebe.  Hee  jah.  Expect  to  continue  till  Spring 
before  I  shall  get  through. 

He  was  called  on  to  deliver  these  lectures  in  towns  nearby 
and  responded  frequently.  Out  of  them  and  the  articles 
from    Palestine   in   the    Guardian   and  the   Messenger  grew   his 


128  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

book,  "Sinai  and  Zion."  He  had  in  mind  writing  such  a  volume 
before  going  to  the  East,  as  we  have  seen,  yet  it  is  doubtful 
whether  he  would  ever  have  done  so,  had  it  not  been  for  the 
persistent  urging  of  Dr.  Harbaugh,  by  word  and  letter  to 
undertake  it. 

This  was,  moreover,  in  the  Reformed  Church  a  time  of  immense 
literary  activity  which  has  hardly  been  since  surpassed.  Har- 
baugh himself  was  busy  on  the  "Fathers  of  the  Reformed 
Church."  The  "Life  of  Schlatter"  had  just  been  published 
and  "The  True  Glory  of  Woman"  was  to  appear  in  1858.  Dr. 
E.  V.  Gerhart  edited  Ranch's  "Inner  Life  of  the  Christian"  in 
1856,  and  his  "Philosophy  and  Logic"  came  two  years  later. 
Prof.  T.  C.  Porter  had  issued  his  translation  of  "The  Life  of 
Zwingli"  and  Dr.  Schaff  was  publishing  his  Church  Histories 
and  projecting  and  writing  other  books.  Dr.  J.  H.  A.  Bom- 
berger  was  translating  Herzog's  Encyclopaedia.  Dr.  Nevin 
was  writing  his  "tremendous"  articles  for  the  Mercershurg 
Review.  "The  Provisional  Liturgy"  was  about  to  appear. 
The  writing  and  publishing  of  books  was  in  the  air  when  Ben- 
jamin Bausman  returned  to  his  home  land  and  Church.  It 
were  strange  if  he  did  not  feel  the  contagion  when  he  had  a  great 
message  on  his  heart,  and  when  the  Church  was  led  to  look  for 
a  book  from  him.  The  editor  prefaced  Mr.  Bausman's  last 
article  in  the  Guardian  written  while  abroad  with  the  hope, 
"that  the  treasures  of  his  Journal  may  yet  be  given  to  the 
public  in  the  form  of  a  volume." 

He  evidently  began  writing  his  book  the  early  months  of  1858, 
but  was  so  busy  visiting  here  and  there,  taking  vacations  and 
solving  perplexing  problems,  that  not  much  was  done  on  it  until 
the  end  of  the  year.  By  December  and  during  the  remaining 
months  of  his  stay  at  Lewisburg  all  his  spare  time  was  put  on 
"writing  at  my  Journal."  "I  begin  to  enjoy  it — am  going 
round  about  Zion,"  reads  the  diary. 

The  character  of  the  volume,  moreover,  is  in  keeping  with 
Dr.  Harbaugh's  ideas  as  to  what  it  should  be: 

As  to  your  tour,  I  say  print  it,  put  away  your  modesty.  You 
have  a  prophecy,  let  it  be  heard.    Sit  down  and  give  us  a  volume, 


LEWISBURG  129 

beginning  where  you  began,  going  where  you  went,  and  stopping 
where  you  stopped.  You  could  make  it  a  good  book  of  reference 
for  ministers  and  of  instruction  to  the  people.  Scripture  studies 
on  the  spot — Bible  studies  in  Bible  lands — some  such  ideas  might 
make  the  soul  of  the  book.  Make  it  a  good  sized  dollar  book, 
giving  your  impressions  fairly  and  honestly,  standing  in  your 
own  shoes  and  taking  the  responsibility  to  speak  just  like  your- 
self without  fear  or  favor.  The  manner  in  which  your  letters 
were  received,  read,  copied,  spoken  of  and  stolen  for  great  books 
is  proof  enough  of  their  merits.  When  you  come  to  the  stolen 
parts,  say  boldly  in  a  note  that  these  or  like  passages  appeared, 
etc.,  but  that  they  are  yours  as  reference  to  the  paper  and  date 
will  prove  or  some  such  like. 

Writing  a  book  is  laborious  business  and  "Sinai  and  Zion" 
was  not  published  until  he  had  been  at  Chambersburg  nearly 
two  years.  Apparently  he  faltered  in  his  purpose  from  time  to 
time.  He  wrote  in  the  summer  of  1860:  "I  feel  it  after  all,  my 
duty  to  give  it  to  the  public."  The  manuscripts  were  sent  to 
Philadelphia  in  November,  and  the  book  appeared  in  January, 
1861.  He  said  of  it:  "'Sinai  and  Zion'  arrived.  Fine,  neat, 
large  volume  of  543  pages.  Quite  a  running  for  them.  Gloria 
Dei." 

The  book  was  enthusiastically  received  by  the  common 
people.  Ministers  as  well  found  it  most  profitable,  and  it  is 
still  so.  Nor  will  it  soon  become  obsolete.  There  is  a  perennial 
freshness  about  it.  Mr.  Bausman  put  his  soul  into  it.  Dr. 
Conrad  Clever  tells  this  incident  which  occurred  when  he  was 
pastor  in  Baltimore: 

I  found  a  Methodist  minister  sitting  on  his  front  porch  reading 
a  book  on  Palestine.  He  said,  "I  read  nearly  everything  I  can 
get  on  the  Holy  Land.  By  the  way,  I  read  a  book  by  one  of  your 
pastors,  entitled  'Sinai  and  Zion.'  It  is  the  most  spiritual  and 
edifying  I  ever  read  on  the  subject.  I  never  felt  that  I  had  found 
the  heart  of  the  author  in  his  book  so  much  as  in  that  one."  He 
then  began  giving  me  a  description  of  what  he  thought  the  char- 
acter of  the  author  must  be — whom  by  the  way,  he  had  never 
seen.  The  description  was  better  than  could  have  been  given 
by  one  to  the  manner  born.  I  have  always  thought,  that  was  a 
great  compliment  to  the  author  of  that  book. 
9 


130  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

Agents  succeeded  well  in  the  selling  of  this  book  and  pastors 
put  it  into  their  congregations  by  the  hundreds.  An  apprecia- 
tive critic  of  "Dr.  Bausman's  Literary  Work"  says  in  the  Mes- 
senger of  December  30,  1897:  "The  volume  was  cordially  wel- 
comed outside  of  the  Reformed  Church;  and  in  some  parts  of 
Lancaster  County  which  the  writer  has  recently  visited,  it  may 
be  found  in  almost  every  house." 

With  evident  satisfaction  Mr.  Bausman  made  record  in  his 
diary  of  April,  1862,  that  the  book  presented  by  a  minister  to 
his  cousin  in  Fannettsburg,  "has  since  been  read  by  twenty-one 
famihes."  Undoubtedly  the  two  most  popular  and  widely  cir- 
culated books  ever  written  by  Reformed  ministers  were  "The 
Golden  Censer"  by  Dr.  Harbaugh  and  "Sinai  and  Zion"  by  Dr. 
Bausman.  They  were  published  about  the  same  time  and  it 
is  interesting  to  note  that  the  first  advertisement  of  each  appeared 
in  the  December  issues  of  the  Messenger  of  1860. 

The  literary  fruitfulness  of  the  decade  in  the  mids  of  which 
"Sinai  and  Zion"  appeared  may  well  be  called  the  classical 
period  in  the  history  of  the  Reformed  Church,  and  Benjamin 
Bausman  helped  to  make  it  so.  It  was  the  fresh  flowering  of 
bright,  promising  minds  which  had  been  stirred  to  budding  life 
by  the  energetic  personalities  and  ideas  of  the  Mercersburg 
teachers. 

Stereotype  plates  were  made  and  Lindsay  and  Blakiston  were 
the  original  publishers  of  "Sinai  and  Zion."  They  were  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Reformed  Church  Publication  Board.  Daniel 
Miller  of  Reading  became  the  publisher  in  1886.  The  book  was 
translated  into  German  by  the  Rev.  Charles  Bank,  of  New 
Brunswick,  N.  J.,  and  published  by  Daniel  Miller  in  1875.  Over 
4000  copies  of  the  German  edition  were  sold. 

During  this  second  period  of  the  Lewisburg  pastorate,  Mr. 
Bausman  was  very  much  among  his  friends.  His  long  absence 
from  them  made  him  eager  for  their  companionship  and  when 
physically  indisposed  he  sought  recreation  in  their  company 
with  frequent  outings — fishing,  driving,  riding  and  visiting. 

A  few  weeks  after  his  return  to  Lewisburg  when  his  cough  was 
very  annoying  he  bantered  Harbaugh  to  join  him  in  a  vacation 
trip  to  which  the  cordial  Harbaugh  replied: 


REV.   HENRY   HARBAUGH  REV.  CHAS.   H.   LEINBACH 

REV.   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 


LEWISBURG  131 

I  would  do  anything  in  the  world  to  cheer  you.  Although  I 
have  no  particular  need  of  recreation,  yet  it  would  not  hurt  me. 
How  would  a  trip  to  Bro.  C.  H.  Leinbach's,  in  Perry  County  do, 
for  a  week  ?  Fine.  We  could  go  whortle-berrying,  and  talk  about 
ali  things. 

And  so  they  did.  A  few  years  after  Harbaugh's  death,  Dr. 
Bausman  wrote  a  eulogy  of  him  and  described  the  boyish  pranks 
of  the  trio  in  the  woods  and  mountains  on  this  trip.  The  fol- 
lowing incident  interests  us: 

Passing  a  photograph  shanty  in  Landisburg,  it  was  proposed 
that  we  three  friends  should  have  our  pictures  taken.  He  and 
our  stout,  hospitable  brother  took  the  leaner  friend  between 
them — thus  we  three  abreast  were  to  be  put  on  the  plate.  The 
artist,  Bressler,  was  a  stern  man  who  could  not  relish  a  joke  just 
then.  Having  adjusted  his  instrument,  he  held  up  his  fore- 
finger and  ordered:  Now  keep  quiet!  This  just  then  and  there 
was  too  much  for  any  ordinary  mortal  to  bear,  gravely.  Again 
and  again  the  poor  man's  order  was  met  with  a  roar  of  irrepres- 
sible laughter;  the  very  effort  not  to  do  it,  most  of  all  our  genial 
friend's  droll  endeavors  not  to  laugh  perfectly  demoralized  the 
party.  The  more  the  artist  raged  at  our  silly  conduct,  the  fun- 
nier the  scene  became.  If  any  of  our  readers  wish  to  see  the 
picture  of  those  three  grinning  friends,  vainly  trying  to  obey  the 
word  of  the  photographer,  they  will  please  call  at  the  home  of 
the  editor  of  the  Guardian.  The  dear  brother  helped  me  more 
than  all  the  physicians  had  hitherto  done  for  me. 

The  reader  is  privileged  to  see  the  picture  above  referred  to 
on  the  adjoining  page.  The  photographer  seems  after  all  to 
have  caught  the  laughing  trio  in  a  sober  moment. 

Health  considerations  made  Mr.  Bausman  take  a  long  va- 
cation during  the  summer  of  1858.  When  fishing  one  day  he 
fainted  and  spat  blood.  While  at  his  father's  home  he  made 
this  record:  "Pleasant  day  with  good  old  Dr.  Nevin."  After 
this,  at  a  Synod,  Dr.  Nevin  preached  a  sermon  which  he  pro- 
nounced "superb,  thrilling." 

The  following  letter  to  the  Rev.  Charles  H.  Leinbach  shows 
him  in  a  facetious  mood: 


132  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

Lewisburg,  Dec.  5th,  1858. 
Dear  Charlie, 

Bist  bos?  Well,  meint  wege.  Magst  wieder  gut  werre.* 
What  has  gotten  over  you?  Don't  write  or  speak  to  a  man. 
You  treated  me  meanly  at  Lancaster,  but  I  am  above  small  petty 
insults,  especially  since  last  meeting  of  Synod.  Yes,  you  were 
anxious  to  see  me  before  Commencement,  so  that  we  could  be 
together  at  my  father's  during  that  happy  season.  But  then 
you  were  too  lazy  to  walk  that  short  distance.  Faule  Kerl! 
Never  mind,  I'll  forgive  you  all,  and  a  great  deal  more  if  you  will 
just  now  do  what  I  ask  you,  viz.,  come  and  assist  me  on  the  com- 
ing Christmas.  Confirmation  on  Christmas,  Lord's  Supper  the 
day  following.  I  won't  make  you  preach  any  more  than  you 
wish  to.  Will  preach  half  if  you  desire  it,  only  so  that  you  can 
be  with  me,  or  I  with  you  rather  (pardon  the  mistake) .  Natural 
for  a  man  of  my  importance  to  talk  big,  whew! 

Now,  Charlie,  I  am  in  earnest.  If  you  help  me  this  time  I 
will  promise  to  help  you  for  certain,  when  you  desire  me.  Come 
with  the  cars,  we'll  foot  the  bill,  yes  sirree. 

Now  Mrs.  Leinbach  (I  am  talking  to  your  wife  now,  if  you 
please)  send  your  fat,  laughing,  little  big  man  up  here,  and  he 
will  be  out  of  mischief.  You  have  always  been  my  friend;  (of 
course,  when  I  say  "always"  I  don't  mean  to  go  back  any  farther 
than  our  first  acquaintance).  I  know  you  wish  me  well,  and  you 
have  such  a  pleasant  way  of  showing  it.  That  is,  by  sparing 
Charlie  a  few  days  for  me.  You  have  done  it  more  than  once, 
please  do  it  again;  and  he  will  be  all  the  better  when  he  returns. 
Should  he  be  unwilling  to  come,  just  use  a  little  of  your  gentle 
authority  and  say,  GO.  Or  by  the  way,  Mrs.  L.,  you  just  come 
along  (abominable  ignorance  of  these  poor,  crusty  bachelors, 
who  even  forgot  the  courtesies  of  gallantry.  I  really  was  so 
stupid  as  to  forget  this).  Just  the  very  thing.  You  have  long 
since  promised  us  a  visit.  Some  of  Mr.  L.'s  relations  live  here, 
and  I  feel  confident  he  will  at  once  bring  you  up,  if  you  are  willing. 
Come,  you  are  at  home  so  much,  and  see  where  we  live. 

Horst,  Charhe,  schon  g'schwetz'd?  Now  kum  a  mol  raus  aus 
dem  krumbuck'liche  Perry'che.f  Really,  I  feel  anxious  that 
you  should  come.  I  won't  overwork  you,  just  enough  to  make 
us  both  happy.  Please  reply  immediately,  or  as  soon  as  possible . 
My  love  to  Mrs.  L.  Yours  in  X, 

B.  Bausman. 

Come  as  near  the  middle  of  the  week  as  you  can. 

*Are  you  cross?    Well,  I  don't  care,  you  may  get  good  again. 
fDo  you  hear,  Charlie?  nice  talk?    Now  come  once  out  of  your  crooked 
.backed  little  Perry  [county]. 


LEWISBURG  133 

Busy  with  many  things,  he  found  time  to  write  only  a  few 
articles  for  the  Guardian  and  Messenger  during  this  period. 
"Where  are  the  Boys  and  Girls?"  is  a  sympathetic  plea  for  the 
rational  and  natural  training  of  children  and  a  protest  against 
forcing  them  prematurely  into  manhood  and  womanhood  by 
talk  and  social  functions  suitable  only  for  adults.  This  appeared 
in  the  Guardian,  as  did  one  other  article  on  "The  Mount  of  As- 
cension." There  are  three  articles  to  his  credit  in  the  Mes- 
senger. The  first,  signed  "West  Susquehanna,"  gives  an  ac- 
count of  the  installation  of  the  Rev.  J.  C.  Bucher  at  MifHin- 
burg,  and  then  branches  out  on  the  pressing  need  of  more 
ministers. 

He  claimed  that  in  part,  at  least,  "the  dearth  of  ministers 
was  due  to  making  the  full  classical  course  a  sina  qua  non"  and 
urged  the  imitation  of  the  Basler  Mission  House,  giving  a  short, 
practical  course  of  study  for  the  ministry  to  those  desiring  it. 
He  did  not  in  the  least  discount  the  value  of  a  collegiate  course, 
but  encouraged  those  who  could,  to  take  it.  Another  article 
signed  "Nathan"  is  on  "A  Word  about  our  Wrongs,"  in  the 
tenor  of  "Sweeping  Before  Our  Own  Door"  noted  in  a  former 
chapter.  The  carelessness  of  ministers  in  giving  statistics  of 
charges  caused  more  misrepresentation  of  our  Church  than  the 
criticisms  of  other  denominations.  He  was  perhaps  the  earliest 
reviewer  of  Harbaugh's  "True  Glory  of  Woman,"  and  his  words 
were  in  the  highest  appreciation  of  the  book  and  its  author. 
"It  is  worth  a  whole  cartload  of  Thackeray's  and  Dickens' 
Tales,"  was  his  judgment.  He  understood  his  dear  friend's 
genius  and  put  it  well.  Harbaugh's  success  as  an  author  is  due 
to  "the  prominence  of  the  heart  over  the  head  in  his  books.  His 
vigorous  mind  performs  the  office  of  sails,  while  his  believing, 
hoping  heart  is  pilot  and  steersman." 

It  will  be  seen  by  a  careful  perusal  of  these  articles  that  the 
leaven  of  foreign  observation  was  at  work.  He  was  a  broader, 
v/iser,  saner  man  for  the  tour  abroad  and,  as  we  would  expect, 
we  see  the  impressions  of  his  travels  cropping  out  frequently. 
He  commented  thus  in  his  diary  on  the  addresses  of  the  Lewis- 
burg  University  Commencement,  1857:    "Substance  of  the  ad- 


134  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

dresses,  Stupidity   and   Blindness  of  the  Past,  Wisdom   of   the 
Present,  especially  of  this  great  country.     What  folly!" 

Bausman's  afflictions  led  him  to  the  expression  of  these  views 
in  a  letter  to  Rust: 

Do  not  I  need  to  be  chided  and  chastened  as  well  as  others? 
And  why  should  I  not  be  able  to  endure  affliction  with  peace 
and  joy?  Alas!  We  preachers  are  poor  sinners  like  the  rest  of 
mortals,  and  stand  greatly  in  need  of  being  put  in  mind  of  it  once 
in  a  while.  Our  religion  is  so  very  liable  to  begin  and  end  in  mak- 
ing and  preaching  sermons,  and  passing  through  a  certain  routine 
of  duties,  so  long  as  we  are  well  and  strong.  We  forget  so  much 
to  wrestle  and  grapple  with  our  own  sins.  Our  minds  are  fixed  on 
the  faults  and  experiences  of  others,  while  our  own  poor  souls 
must  be  satisfied  with  a  certain  formal  attention  which  we  give 
ourselves,  because  it  is,  of  course,  a  minister's  duty  to  perform 
certain  devotions.  I  felt  this  while  abroad.  I  feel  it  more 
now.  It  seems  to  me  we  do  not  go  into  our  own  hearts  often 
enough  to  see  how  matters  look  there,  whether  we  have  oil  in 
our  lamps.  And  when  we  are  slightly  or  severely  afflicted,  we 
are  startled  to  find  ourselves  so  ill  prepared  for  it.  In  this  re- 
spect I  was  greatly  refreshed  by  my  intercourse  with  the  brethren 
in  Wiirttemberg  and  Switzerland.  There  each  one  is  waging 
war  with  his  own  bad  heart,  and  grapples  with  his  own  sins, 
while  he  tells  others  to  do  the  same.  And  in  proportion  as  he 
feels  this,  he  can  sympathize  with  his  people.  Then  they  have 
those  private  searchings  and  wrestlings,  hidden  interviews  with 
God.  Then  when  they  meet  in  conferences,  they  mutually  tell 
their  trials  and  triumphs,  their  weaknesses  and  waverings,  which 
begets  sympathy,  and  enables  them  to  strengthen  each  other's 
hands.  What  heart-confessions  I  heard  there!  Then  they 
prayed  and  wept  over  their  sins,  and  the  load  seemed  to  become 
lighter.  At  the  Basler  Missionsfest,  Dr.  Josenhaus,  of  the  Mis- 
sions Haus,  exclaimed  in  a  most  solemn  manner  before  a  vast 
multitude,  "Mein  bisheriges  Christentum  reicht  nicht  aus."* 
It  sent  an  arrow  into  many  a  heart.  I  felt  it  most  keenly.  It 
was  taken  up  and  repeated  by  every  Church  conference  I  after- 
wards attended.  I  still  feel  so.  We  do  not  analyze  our  own 
inward  man  often  enough.  We  lack  the  self-forgetting  element. 
This  is  another  fault  I  feel.  I  have  caught  myself  serving  God 
selfishly.  Why  cannot  we  lose  sight  of  ourselves,  preach,  re- 
pent, labor  and  endure  all  for  Him,  and  for  Him  alone?  So 
many  of  those  good  brethren  made  stirring  and  telling  missionary 

*My  past  Christianity  does  not  suffice. 


LEWISBURG  135 

addresses  just  by  reciting  their  Bekenntnisse.*  In  this  respect 
our  classical,  synodical  and  missionary  meetings  are  sadly  de- 
fective. They  lack  genial  fellowship  and  communion  of  spirit, 
das  herzliche.  Statistical,  learned  or  indifferent  speeches  to  be 
admired  or  feared  by  the  smaller,  or  lazy  fry.  We  have  little 
of  that  pouring  out  of  hearts,  to  show  one  another  what  our 
learning,  or  theology  if  you  choose,  has  done  or  undone  in  our 
hearts,  for  a  warning  or  encouragement  to  all.  But  I  am  un- 
intentionally giving  you  a  homily.     You  know  what   I   mean. 

Mr.  Bausman's  ministry  was  becoming  more  heart  searching 
and  effective  than  ever.  His  success  humbled  him  and  led  him 
to  deeper  fellowship  with  God.  The  pastorate  with  its  oppor- 
tunities of  helping  souls  was  dear  to  him;  but  his  unique  abilities 
must  have  a  wider  field  and  twenty  months  after  his  return  from 
Europe,  he  was  in  the  editor's  chair  at  Chambersburg.  He  had 
no  ambitions  whatever  for  this  post.  He  shrank  from  it;  but 
his  fitness  was  at  once  recognized  by  all  who  knew  him  and  he 
could  not  resist  the  importunity  of  friends  and  the  unanimous 
call  of  the  Church. 

As  early  as  February,  1858,  came  the  invitation  to  become 
associate  editor  of  the  Messenger  from  Dr.  S.  P.  Fisher,  the  editor. 
Harbaugh  and  Rust  urged  immediately  that  he  accept  it.  Said 
the  former:  "Do  not  cast  it  away,  it  is  a  great  opening.  You 
would  give  satisfaction  to  the  Church."  The  latter  in  the  ex- 
uberance of  his  love  and  admiration  -s\Tote: 

They  wish  you  to  become  editor  of  the  Messenger,  our  most 
important  church  organ.  Precisely  the  very  thing  I  have  been 
wishing  for  these  three  years  past,  and  had  suggested  it  to  sev- 
eral brethren  in  the  East  long  before  your  return  from  the  old 
country,  as  Bro.  Harbaugh,  for  instance,  can  tell  you.  Hence, 
you  may  imagine  my  gratification  with  the  above  information. 
Yes,  indeed,  had  I  ten  thousand  voices  at  my  command,  they 
should  all  be  united  in  one  harmonious  shout  for  your  promo- 
tion to  the  editoral  chair  at  Chambersburg,  and  could  I  lay  my 
fat  hands  on  your  bony  back  I  should  push  you  along  to  that 
establishment  as  fast  as  my  short  legs  would  carry  me.  This 
may  seem  to  you  somewhat  enthusiastic,  but  I  can't  help  it,  my 
feeling  for  the  general  interest  of  our  Reformed  Church  prompt 
me  to  speak  thus.     I  feel  confident  there  is  no  man  in  our  Church 

*  Testimonies. 


136  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

SO  well  calculated  to  give  satisfaction  to  all  concerned  as  the 
Rev.  B.  Bausman  of  Lewisburg.  Your  strong  and  honest  at- 
tachment to  the  Church  of  your  choice  can  not  be  doubted  by 
anyone,  and  of  your  extensive  information,  theoretical  and 
practical,  all  must  be  fully  convinced;  as  regards  your  writing 
ability,  in  substance  and  style,  it  cannot  be  surpassed  in  our 
Church;  and,  what  is  more  important  still,  every  one  must  also 
feel  that  you  are  not  slavishly  bound  to  mere  human  opinion 
and  certain  dogmatic  views.  Hence,  I  consider  it  your  solemn 
duty  to  accept  of  the  unsought  offer,  and  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  go  and  occupy  that  most  influential  position  in  the  Church. 

This  is  what  we  stand  in  need  of  at  present,  to  bring  a  large 
portion  of  our  brethren  into  a  more  churchly  and  active  posi- 
tion, and  to  guard  another  portion,  already  begun  to  wrap  them- 
selves up  in  the  shining  and  more  easy  cloak  of  newly  cut  forms, 
from  swinging  into  the  other  extreme  of  lifeless  formalism.  Al- 
though we  have,  as  a  Church,  made  progress  during  the  past  few 
years,  yet  how  slow  is  our  progress  in  comparison  with  the  in- 
crease of  population,  and  the  rapid  extension  of  some  other  de- 
nominations? All  this  tardiness  is,  in  my  humble  opinion,  at- 
tributable to  the  great  want  of  a  proper  understanding  of  our 
Reformed  churchly  and  soundly  biblical  position.  How  very 
unsettled  are  our  ministers,  and  even  our  professors,  in  re- 
gard to  this  point?  Some  hold  Zwinglianism,  others  prefer  Cal- 
vinism, others  still  try  to  labor  along  according  to  the  unchurchly 
views  of  modern  Sectism,  whilst  those,  who  have  become  dis- 
satisfied with  Protestant  Sectarianism,  are  laboring  hard  to  con- 
struct an  entirely  new  platform,  not  of  material  found  in  the 
history  and  life  of  our  own  Church  particularly,  but  rather  of 
fragments  discovered  in  the  primitive  Church,  some  of  which 
have  been  used  with  considerable  success  by  the  Old  Lutheran 
faction,  and  against  the  introduction  of  which  the  fathers  of  our 
Church  fought  so  manfully.  With  this  variety  of  views  and 
tendencies,  how  much  depends  upon  our  papers  to  harmonize 
and  encourage  the  Church,  and  to  urge  her  forward  in  the  proper 
direction.  But  the  efficacy  of  the  papers  and  periodicals  again 
depends  almost  exclusively  upon  the  soundness  and  strength  of 
the  editors.  Hence,  I  am  so  anxious  to  see  you  at  Chambersburg, 
because  I  feel  persuaded  that  there  is  not  a  man  in  our  whole 
Church  so  well  qualified  for  that  post  as  yourself. 

The  post  is  not  an  easy  one,  I  know.  It  requires  a  pretty 
strong  man  both  in  intellect  and  piety.  One  perfectly  acquainted 
with  the  evangelical  Reformed  way  that  leads  to  Christ  and  to 
heaven;  being  able  to  handle  "crockery  ware"  as  well  as  bar 
iron,  strong  in  forbearance  and  firm  in  determination.     But  I 


LEWISBURG  137 

know  of  none  in  our  whole  Church  better  quahfied  than  my  Bro. 
Benjamin  Bausman,  and  for  this  reason  urge  your  going  to 
Chambersburg. 

Mr.  Bausman  paid  a  visit  to  Dr.  Fisher  in  Chambersburg  in 
March,  1858,  and  talked  over  the  matter  but  declined  to  accept. 
The  request  was  immediately  renewed  and  when  Mr.  Bausman 
was  attending  the  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Domestic  Missions 
at  Carlisle  in  April,  Dr.  Fisher  came  to  see  him  there  and  they 
talked  things  over  again,  but  to  no  avail.  At  the  meeting  of 
West  Susquehanna  Classis  in  May,  Dr.  Fisher  presented  an 
overture  for  the  same  purpose,  on  which  a  special  committee  re- 
ported that  they  realized  Dr.  Fisher's  need  of  assistance  and 
Brother  Bausman's  fitness  for  the  place,  "but,  inasmuch  as  this 
classis  is  of  the  opinion  that  Brother  Bausman  is  highly  useful 
in  his  present  charge  and  his  labors  are  of  very  great  importance 
for  its  prosperity,  they  could  not  in  view  of  all  the  circumstances 
of  the  case,  consent  to  aid  in  the  separation." 

The  Synod  met  at  Frederick,  Md.,  in  October.  After  re-elect- 
ing Mr.  Bausman  to  the  Board  of  Domestic  Missions,  electing 
him  recording  secretary,  alternate  fraternal  delegate  to  the 
General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  (New  School) 
and  the  representative  of  his  Classis  on  the  Committee  to  con- 
sider the  removal  of  the  Seminary  "to  some  more  central  loca- 
tion," they  unanimously  chose  him  for  the  newly  created  office. 
Associate  Editor  of  the  Messenger.  Declination  was  now  im- 
possible. Dr.  Fisher,  who  was  clerk  of  Synod  as  well  as  Editor 
of  the  Messenger,  said  in  the  note  accompanying  the  call:  "I  hope 
you  will  feel  constrained  to  accept  of  it.  Neither  your  congrega- 
tion nor  the  Classis  should  for  one  moment  think  of  interposing 
any  obstacles  to  your  acceding  to  the  wishes  of  Synod.  The 
call  comes  from  such  a  source  and  in  such  a  way  that  it  cannot 
be  slightly  regarded." 

In  due  time  came  the  letter  of  acceptance: 

Lewisburg,  Dec.  13,  1858. 
Rev.  S.  R.  Fisher,  D.  D.,  Stated  Clerk  of  Synod  of  German 

Reformed  Church  in  the  U.  S. 
Rev.  and  Dear  Sir: 

After  much  deliberation  and  prayer  I  at  length  feel  prepared 
to  reply  to  yours  of  October  30th,  informing  me  of  my  election 


138  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

as  Associate  Editor  of  the  German  Reformed  Messenger.  An 
insuperable  sense  of  my  own  unfitness  has  led  me  repeatedly  to 
shrink  from  the  critical  duties  of  so  responsible  an  office.  Still 
with  my  views  of  the  Church  and  looking  at  all  the  circumstances, 
I  cannot  resist  the  conclusion  that  the  vote  of  Synod  is  the  voice 
of  God.  With  this  conviction,  I  hereby  in  the  fear  of  God  and 
in  reliance  upon  His  Divine  aid  accept  the  office,  with  the  hope 
by  Divine  permission  to  enter  upon  my  duties  on  the  first  of 
February,  1859.  Invoking  the  prayers,  support  and  sympathies 
of  the  Church, 

I  am,  yours  truly, 

B.  Bausman. 

A  few  extracts  from  letters  which  passed  between  Mr.  Baus- 
man and  Dr.  Schaff  will  interest  us: 

My  Dear  Doctor: 

You  have  heard  by  this  time  that  I  have  said  "yes"  to  the 
vote  of  Synod.  But  I  can  assure  you  I  achieved  this  "yes" 
through  much  tribulation.  Leaving  the  active  duties  of  the 
ministry,  after  I  have  been  ordained  to  and  fallen  in  love  with 
the  office;  my  partial  success  in  its  labors  while  the  other  would 
be  an  experiment;  the  warm-hearted  attachment  of  my  people 
without  a  single  exception;  all  these  plead  strongly  with  me  to 
decline.  On  the  other  hand,  ordination  implies  a  promise  that 
you  will  serve  the  Church  wherever  she  may  place  you.  Now, 
was  the  vote  of  the  Synod  the  voice  of  the  Church?  the  voice  of 
God?  I  could  not  help  but  think  so,  and  hence,  my  decision. 
If  it  was  not  the  voice  of  God  then  pray  how  shall  one  discern 
His  voice  in  our  Ecclesiastical  Councils?  I  prayed  over  it  long 
and  often,  with  the  most  perfect  willingness  to  serve  the  Master 
either  here  or  there.  I  endeavored  to  make  my  will  a  "tabula 
rasa"  on  which  His  will  alone  should  be  inscribed  and  now  it 
is  there.  The  consequences  both  here  and  in  the  spirit  and  use- 
fulness of  the  Messenger  I  shall  leave  to  God.  My  part  will  be 
to  give  what  is  in  me,  and  if  that  won't  suffice,  the  way  will 
soon  be  opened  for  some  one  to  give  more. 

Nun,  Lieber  Doctor,  was  denken  Sie  von  dieser  Geschichte? 
schon  Geschwatz?  Bin  au  in  Deutschland  gewest;  uf  der  Uni- 
versitat,  wie  der  lieb  Claudius  sagt,  und  yetzt  noch  Editor  werde! 
Tausich  in  alle  Welt  nei !  Solt  mer  doch  mena  das  es  moghch 
war?  Ja,  Ja,  so  giebts  Leut,  dene  die  Weisheit  von  den  Fingern 
ab  tropset.* 

*  Now,  dear  Doctor,  what  do  you  think  of  this  business?  Nice  talk?  Have 
also  been  in  Germany;  at  the  university  as  dear  Claudius  says,  and  now  to 
become  an  editor  yet.  It  beats  the  whole  world.  Would  one  think  it  possible  ? 
Yes,  yes,  there  are  people  whose  wisdom  drops  oflF  their  very  fingers. 


LEWISBURG  139 

I  feel  cheerful  since  my  mind  has  been  made  up  and  why  should 
I  not?  With  Schneck  at  the  Kirchenzeitung,  and  myself  as  an 
offside  horse  at  the  Messenger,  the  team  must  go.  Certainly 
if  we  measure  noses  and  legs,  the  symbols  of  speed  and  taste, 
we  shall  have  few  equals.  Just  think  what  two  pairs  of  such 
legs  can  accomplish  when  started  on  the  right  track  and  what 
stinking-carrion-heresy  can  escape  demolition,  once  such  pene- 
trating beaks  of  criticism  are  thrust  into  the  tomes  of  author- 
ship? 

Withal  I  feel  most  pitifully  helpless  and  humble,  almost  like 
Harbaugh's  Schwenkf elder  preacher — "like  nobody,  jumping 
off  from  no  place,  going  nowhere."  Jesting  aside,  I  cannot 
surmount  my  sense  of  unfitness,  which  has  haunted  me  from  the 
start.     Der  Herr  wird  schon  helfen.* 

P.  S.  I  believe  I  ought  to  ask  permission  to  remain  here  till 
the  first  of  April.  Just  now  a  young  Jew,  who  has  been  attend- 
ing my  class,  was  here;  is  very  much  in  distress  about  his  soul. 
There  is  an  interest  among  the  young,  which  I  fear  our  church 
will  lose,  in  part,  if  I  must  leave  so  soon.  I  don't  deem  it  right 
to  sacrifice  the  interests  of  a  congregation  any  more  than  the 
general  interests  of  the  Church  render  indispensably  necessary. 

0  my  old  instructor,  perhaps  you  have  never  fully  enjoyed  the 
luxury  of  doing  good  in  the  pastoral  office.  But  I  can  assure 
you,  there  can  be  no  sweeter  joy  this  side  of  Heaven  than  that 

1  felt  this  evening  when  this  poor  son  of  Abraham  stood  before 
me  weeping,  sobbing  his  distressed  yearnings  (Sehnsucht)  after 
the  Messiah. 

Mercersburg,  Dec.  22,  1858. 
My  Dear  Brother: 

I  received  your  favor  tonight  and  hasten  to  congratulate  you 
upon  the  acceptance  of  the  editorship,  which  I  was  pleased  to 
learn  from  the  last  Messenger.  If  Synod  has  confidence  in  your 
fitness  for  the  important  post  you  are  about  to  assume,  you  ought 
to  give  her  a  chance  at  least  to  find  out  her  judgment  was  cor- 
rect and  that  her  voice  is  the  vox  Dei.  The  objections  you  had 
to  surmount  are  of  the  most  honorable  character  and  I,  myself, 
sympathize  with  the  congregation;  but  a  congregation  must 
yield  to  the  Church  at  large,  the  individual  to  the  general,  the 
part  to  the  whole. 

When  you  come  to  Chambersburg  you  must  not  fail  to  pay 
me  a  visit  on  old  Seminary  Hill.  Hoch  lebe  die  Mercersb.  Theol- 
ogie.f 

Yours  truly  in  affection  and  truly  in  haste, 

Phil.  Schaff. 
*The  Lord  will  no  doubt  help, 
t  Hurrah  for  the  Mercersburg  Theology. 


140  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

Lewisburg,  Jan.  11,  1859. 
My  Dear  Friend: 

I  can  scarcely  tell  you  how  glad  I  was  to  receive  your  recent 
letter.  I  feel  most  devoutly  thankful  to  our  Father  for  the  un- 
clouded contentment  I  experience  in  my  decision  as  well  as  for 
the  confidence  and  good  wishes  received  from  those  above  me. 
"With  different  talents  formed  we  variously  excel."  Nature  de- 
signs all  to  excel  in  something.  I  can  neither  excel  as  poet  or 
preacher.  My  little  success  in  the  ministry  is  owing  more  to 
my  little  pastoral  talent  than  to  that  of  speaking.  Whether  my 
prospective  post  will  offer  a  more  natural  and  congenial  theatre, 
time  alone  can  show.  I  confess  to  a  weakness  if  such  it  may  be 
called — I  desire  to  serve  the  Church  in  the  sphere  for  which  I  am 
best  adapted,  so  as  to  render  the  greatest  possible  amount  of 
labor  in  the  short  life  allotted  to  me. 

Our  Classis  dismissed  me  to  Mercersburg  Classis,  at  the  same 
time  requesting  me  to  remain  one  month  after  the  expiration 
of  my  year  with  the  permission  of  the  Pubhcation  Board. 

He  afterward  wrote  to  Rev.  Chas.  H.  Leinbach  and  referred 
to  the  situation  he  was  then  in:  "Not  a  man  would  have  voted 
to  accept  my  resignation  had  I  not  assured  them  that  I  could 
not  be  forced  into  measures  contrary  to  my  clear  convictions 
of  duty.  Resigning  a  charge  is  a  mere  sham,  if  the  congregations 
have  a  right  to  vote  a  man  back,  noleris  volens." 

We  see  his  determined  attitude  as  expressed  in  his  letter  of 
resignation: 

My  sympathies  and  my  inclinations  are  with  my  present 
charge.  Seemingly  I  might  still  be  useful  here.  How  long  I, 
of  course,  cannot  know.  Still  I  felt  myself  in  duty  bound  to 
give  a  proper  hearing  to  the  wishes  of  the  Church  whose  claims 
upon  our  services  you  will  allow  me  to  say  are  paramount  to  those 
of  any  congregation.  I  have  endeavored  to  look  the  whole 
matter  fairly  in  the  face,  and  after  due  reflection  upon  all  the 
circumstances — the  limited  circulation  of  the  Messenger,  the  im- 
mense good  a  rightly  conducted  church  paper  can  accomplish 
in  a  denomination,  our  past  difficulty  to  reconcile  the  claims  of 
conflicting  parties,  and  the  cordial  unanimity  with  which  these 
united  in  my  election — all  these  being  taken  fairly  into  the  ac- 
count have  convinced  me  that  duty  most  decidedly  predominates 
in  favor  of  the  Messenger. 

Brethren,  you  know  me.  I  believe  it  is  the  voice  of  God,  and 
woe  unto  me  if  I  don't  obey  it.     Having  such  a  conviction,  I 


LEWISBURG  141 

feel  assured  that  you  could  have  Httle  respect  for  my  conscience 
or  motives,  if  I  should  still  refuse  to  go. 

The  second  part  of  the  Lewisburg  pastorate  was  unusually 
successful.  Mr.  Bausman  confirmed  sixty-four  persons  during 
his  last  year  there — twenty-four  in  the  Lewisburg  congregation, 
seventeen  at  Dreisbach's,  twenty-three  at  the  Union  Church. 

When  he  "finally  concluded  to  go  to  Chambersburg  there  was 
much  lamentation"  among  his  people,  and  "bitter  complaint 
of  the  ungenerous  treatment  which  the  congregation  has  been 
receiving  at  the  hands  of  the  Church." 

When  the  Consistory  acted  on  his  resignation,  "Father  Brown 
became  excited  and  left."  It  was  evidently  of  this  man  that 
Dr.  Bausman  often  took  delight  in  telling  the  story  which  is  given 
as  follows  in  his  ordination  "Jubilee  Address:" 

When  I  accepted  a  call  to  another  field,  the  patriarch  of  the 
congregation  took  me  severely  to  task.  He  naturally  had  a 
strong  mind  and  rugged,  rustic,  common  sense.  One  day  he 
accosted  me  in  this  wise:  "One  thing  I  cannot  understand. 
You  ministers  speak  much  about  the  providence  of  God.  When 
you  accept  a  call  to  another  field,  you  always  say,  the  Lord  calls 
me  there.  But  the  call  is  always  from  a  smaller  to  a  larger  place, 
from  a  smaller  to  a  larger  salary.  We  have  been  training  young 
pastors  for  other  people.  When  Mr.  Harbaugh  came  to  us 
preaching  went  hard  with  him.  We  bore  patiently  with  him. 
As  soon  as  he  had  become  a  strong  man  in  the  pulpit,  the  Lord 
called  him  to  Lancaster.  It  was  to  a  larger  and  wealthier  con- 
gregation. With  Mr.  Heisler  we  exercised  like  patience.  After 
he  had  improved  and  could  preach  with  acceptance  and  blessing, 
the  Lord  called  him  to  another  place.  When  you  began  your 
ministry  with  us,  you — well,  I  don't  want  to  hurt  your  feelings, 
but — you  know — with  you  too,  we  had  patience,  and  now,  when 
you  get  along  well,  again  the  Lord  calls  our  pastor  to  a  larger 
place,  with  a  larger  salary.  I,  too,  believe  in  the  providence  of 
God;  but  that  He  should  always  call  a  man  from  a  smaller  to  a 
larger  place,  I  cannot  understand.  If  he  would  call  you  from 
Lewisburg  to  Block  House  [a  weak  charge,  among  the  out  of 
the  way  mountains  of  Tioga  County]  I  could  understand  it  bet- 
ter." 

I  felt  touched  by  the  earnest  reasoning  of  this  untaught  man  of 
God.  Not  long  before  this  he  had  taken  me  to  Block  House  to 
do  some  church  work.  I  suppose  to  have  become  pastor  there 
would  have  meant  the  extinction  of  the  charge,  if  not  of  myself. 


142  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

Benjamin  Bausman  came  to  the  end  of  his  first  pastorate 
amid  a  flourish  of  "turkey  roasts."  He  preached  his  vale- 
dictory the  last  Sunday  of  February,  1859,  and  made  this  note 
in  his  diary:  "Almost  choked  with  emotion  sometimes.  Much 
weeping.  Full  house.  This  finishes  my  work  among  this  dear 
people.  0,  how  kind  the  Lord  has  been  to  me  and  them!  Holy 
Father,  keep  them  and  bless  them  unto  everlasting  life." 


CHAPTER  VII 

Editor  of  the  Messenger — 1859-1866 

BENJAMIN  BAUSMAN  was  at  his  desk  in  the  Messenger 
office,  Chambersburg,  on  March  1,  1859,  and  the  diary 
record  of  the  day  is  given  in  one  brief  line,  "Read  exchanges 
and  wrote  some." 

His  first  editorial  appeared  in  the  issue  of  March  9th,  follow- 
ing an  announcement  by  Dr.  Fisher  of  "Our  New  Arrangements" 
— "Our  columns  will  hereafter  be,  in  a  great  measure,  under  the 
direction  of  our  associate,  a  circumstance  which  our  readers  will 
have  no  occasion  to  regret." 

He  said  in  this  "Introductory." 

The  Church  has  already  been  apprised  of  my  election  in  dif" 
ferent  ways,  and  to  my  regret,  in  one  instance  at  least,  in  lang- 
uage more  flattering  than  wise.  Much  praise  for  a  talent  which 
a  man  has  never  had  a  chance  to  test  or  cultivate,  is  of  doubtful 
benefit  to  himself  and  others. 

This  is  no  time  to  indulge  in  lachrymal  lamentations  over  a 
sense  of  unfitness  and  over  the  severe  necessity  which  compels 
one  to  abandon,  for  a  season,  the  genial  labors  of  the  pastoral 
office.     My  present  business  is  to  go  manfully  to  work. 

"More  editorial  force"  we  need,  says  the  publishing  firm,  the 
Synod  and  the  Classes.  An  expressive  word  is  force,  but  in 
this  case,  at  least,  it  is  a  compound  and  not  a  simple  power. 
Not  only  editorial,  but  also  contributing  force  we  need.  Like 
fire,  force  in  this  case  needs  fuel  or  the  heat  will  die.  Short  ar- 
ticles, incidents  and  scraps  pf  news,  culled  from  the  experience 
of  pastors  and  congregations,  will  infuse  a  racy,  sprightly  vigor 
into  the  paper.  In  watering,  it  ought  to  be  watered.  In  mould- 
ing and  stimulating  the  faith  and  piety  of  the  Church,  it  ought 
to  be  moulded  in  return.  A  good,  religious  paper  is  like  a  lake 
which  receives  its  waters  from  rills  and  streams  that  spring  in 
retired,  mountain  heights,  and  pays  them  back  in  vapors,  form- 
ing clouds  and  raining  the  water  into  the  streams  again.  It 
ought  to  be  a  mirror  reflecting  the  faith  and  life  of  the  Church 

143 


144  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

it  represents.  Perchance  it  must  occasionally  perform  the  office 
of  a  sieve,  in  which  the  sound  wheat  of  truth  may  be  riddled  out 
of  chaffy  notions  and  tares.  Let  the  rills  and  larger  streams 
pour  into  the  lake;  let  the  theology  and  practice  of  the  Church, 
in  its  germ  and  development,  its  youth,  manhood  and  riper  age, 
look  and  labor  into  this  mirror;  let  the  un winnowed  principles 
of  disputed  positions  be  cast  into  the  sieve  and  soundly  dusted 
and  riddled.  We  need  and  claim  the  cooperation  of  the  lay  and 
clerical  members  of  the  church.  To  infuse  interest  into  the 
Messenger,  increase  its  circulation,  and,  in  this  way,  serve  the 
cause  of  Christ  and  His  Church,  is  a  work  to  which  many  will 
readily  and  cheerfully  contribute  their  mite,  so  I  believe,  and 
so  I  pray. 

I  feel  that  I  am  not  before  a  strange  or  new  audience,  though 
in  a  new  relation — on  a  new  stage,  and  hence  I  must  needs 
make  my  humble  bow.  An  awkward  bow  it  is ;  for  I  am  incapa- 
ble of  any  other  in  posture  or  on  paper.  May  the  great  Head  of 
the  Church  inspire  us  with  the  spirit  of  our  station  and  make  our 
paper  a  Messenger  of  good  tidings  to  His  people,  bless  and  pros- 
per its  mission  to  the  spiritual  benefit  of  its  readers  and  the  glory 
of  His  name. 

A  few  weeks  after  this  he  wrote  to  Rust:  "I  don't  know  how 
I  shall  succeed.  I  begin  to  like  it  pretty  well.  By  the  help  of 
God,  I  shall  spare  no  trouble  to  raise  the  paper  and  benefit  the 
Church." 

That  he  labored  strenuously  at  his  new  task  we  can  be  sure 
and  he  succeeded  in  giving  a  " sprightliness  and  vivacity"  to 
the  paper.  The  second  page  of  the  Messenger  was  crowded  with 
short,  pithy,  timely  articles  on  a  multitude  of  practical  topics. 
His  work  was  appreciated  and  praised  by  many,  but  to  him 
it  was  burdensome.  He  did  not  receive  the  help  in  news  and 
contributed  articles  which  he  had  a  right  to  expect.  Several 
months  after  he  was  fully  in  the  editorial  harness,  following  a 
visit  to  Lewisburg,  he  wrote  to  his  successor,  the  Rev.  Chas.  H. 
Leinbach : 

Here  I  am  sitting  at  my  desk,  pult,  table  or  whatever  name 
you  may  see  fit  to  apply  to  my  nondescript  editorial  fabric.  Hard 
work  to  get  rightly  started  again.  I  will  try  to  bear  my  little 
burden  of  toil  patiently.  Sometimes  I  feel  very  heavy,  so  many 
vexations  and  annoyances.  You  have  no  idea  what  a  thankless 
task  I  am  performing;  almost  without  perceptible  sympathy. 


EDITOR   OF   THE   MESSENGER  145 

with  little  cooperation  and  with  hypocrites  croaking  here  and 
there.  You  can  hardly  believe  how  sweet  it  is  to  feel  the  sym- 
pathy of  Jesus,  and  to  cherish  a  hope  that  He  knows  my  little 
difficulties,  which  for  a  season  I  am  trying  to  endure  for  His 
sake.  It  is  almost  ten.  While  you  are  thinking  of  retiring  to 
rest,  I  must  try  to  work  an  hour  or  two  yet,  if  I  can  keep  off 
drowsiness. 

The  diary  is  full  of  hints  of  the  irksomeness  of  his  task. 
Exactly  a  year  after  he  took  up  the  editorial  pen,  stands  the 
record : 

Hard  pushed  for  copy;  mind  is  obtuse  and  inactive — much 
embarrassed.  Labored  with  much  effort  and  anxiety  this  week. 
Get  so  little  help  and  encouragement  from  the  Church.  Few 
contribute  or  seem  to  care  aught  about  the  paper.  Unless  it 
improves  I  shall  ask  the  Lord  to  allow  me  to  serve  Him  in  a 
charge. 

The  Liturgical  Controversy  was  on  and  increasing  in  warmth, 
and  in  his  determination  to  keep  the  Messenger  non-partisan 
Mr.  Bausman  found  himself  between  two  fires  of  criticism  and 
abuse.  His  peaceful  spirit  was  backed  with  a  courageous  hand 
which  held  the  rudder  true,  but  he  winced  under  the  darts  which 
the  carpers  hurled  upon  him.  He  was  unable  to  put  aside  even 
unreasonable  complaints  without  worriment.     One  catches  the 

note  of  annoyance  in  reading  a  record  like  this:    "Bro.  B. 

is  incensed  because  we  pruned  his  obituary  notice  for  the  Mes- 
senger and  cut  out  certain  indelicate  expressions." 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Synod  in  Lebanon,  October,  1860,  he 
resigned  his  post. 

Synod  at  once  tried  to  resolve  not  to  accept;  but  I  begged  to 
be  relieved  from  its  embarrassing  duties.  The  matter  was  re- 
ferred to  a  committee.  After  several  interviews  they  reported 
satisfactory  improvements  to  myself.  Will  take  it  another  year 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord!  .  .  .  Synod  was  fully  persuaded  that 
if  this  resignation  be  allowed  to  take  effect,  the  value  of  the 
Messenger  would  be  seriously  affected  and  the  material  interest 
of  the  Church  in  that  paper  be  considerably  damaged. 

With  the  consent  of  Dr.  Fisher,  the  Synod  resolved:    "That 
Rev.  B.  Bausman  be  hereby  requested  to  assume  the  chief  edi- 
torial management  with  authority  to  make  such  improvements 
10 


146  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

as  in  his  judgment  may  be  deemed  necessary."     The  ministers 

and  members  of  the  Church  were  importuned  to  "use  all  proper 

endeavors,   to  sustain  the  editors  in  the  management    of    the 

paper   and   to   increase   its   subscription   list."      "An   assistant 

editorial   committee"    of    six   prominent   ministers   representing 

the  several  sections  of  the  Church  was  appointed. 

Hitherto  one  reads  in  the  headlines  of  the  Messenger: 

"S.  R.  Fisher, j^^.^^^^.„ 

B.  Bausman,  j  ' 

hereafter, 

"B.  Bausman, )„  ,.^  „ 
c  -D  -c>-  1,  >Editors." 
S.  R.  Fisher,j 

Only  for  a  year  continued  the  arrangement,  however,  for  the 
annoyances  of  the  office  rather  increased  with  the  beginning  of 
the  Civil  War.  Many  of  the  readers  were  in  the  South  and 
partisan  spirit  ran  high. 

In  a  letter  to  Dr.  Lewis  H.  Steiner  shortly  after  his  resignation 
was  accepted,  October,  1861,  he  touched  on  this: 

Most  assuredly,  "Loyalty  is  not  synonymous  with  Republican 
sentiments,"  but  not  a  few,  even  in  our  own  Church,  think  that 
it  is.  of  Baltimore,  charged  me,  at  Easton,  with  offend- 
ing the  readers  of  the  Messenger  by  abusing  my  position  in  thrust- 
ing upon  them  my  own  partisan  views.  Of  course,  I  gave  him 
a  piece  of  my  mind  on  the  subject,  for  I  confess  it  wounded  me 
most  keenly.  He  afterwards  made  an  apology,  so  that  I  cherish 
no  unpleasant  or  unkind  feelings  towards  him. 

Dr.  Steiner  had  written  in  a  previous  letter: 

I  am  sorry  to  hear  that  you  are  to  be  disconnected  from  the 
editorial  chair  of  the  Messenger.  It  was  pleasant  to  think  that 
a  friendly  hand  was  holding  the  reins  and  one's  pen  worked  with 
greater  rapidity  under  the  inspiration  of  such  a  thought. 

What  has  become  of  the  famous  board  of  collaborators,  whose 
initials  were  interpreted  for  the  benefit  of  your  readers,  at  the 
head  of  the  second  page?  Have  they  all  collapsed?  Some  did 
good  service.  They  should  have  been  retained.  I  presume  all 
have  found  out  that  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  write  editorials. 

The  "board  of  collaborators"  referred  to  were  the  assistant 
editorial  committee  and  in  Bausman's  reply  to  Dr.  Steiner,  he 


EDITOR   OF   THE   MESSENGER  147 

said  it  had  "become  defunct,  by  general  consent.  Only  half 
of  the  members  served."  In  the  same  letter,  he  went  on  to 
say: 

I  don't  claim  perfection  for  my  humble  editorial  labors. 
Doubtless  many  things  might  and  ought  to  have  been  done 
better.  And  when  amid  much  that  has  been  poorly  done,  breth- 
ren speak  kindly  of  the  little  that  has  been  done  tolerably  well, 
I  esteem  it  as  part  of  the  reward  of  my  well-intended  efforts. 
Whatever  my  defects  have  been,  mine  has  been  a  "friendly  hand" 
while  on  the  helm.  My  connection  with  the  Messenger  has  been 
pleasant,  and  but  for  the  embarrassments  which  envelop  it,  I 
might  have  consented  to  remain.  I  have  now  again  taken  a 
congregation,  and  expect  to  devote  all  my  strength  to  the  care 
of  souls.  Whether  I  shall  write  much  for  the  Messenger,  along 
with  this,  will  depend  upon  the  arrangements  Brother  Fisher 
will  make. 

Looking  back  on  this  period  after  forty  years  Dr.  Bausman 
said  in  his  "Jubilee  Address:"  "I  devoted  three  very  busy  years 
to  religious  journalism.  In  many  respects  they  were  a  great 
benefit  to  me  and  I  hope  not  without  blessing  to  the  cause  of 
Christ.  Withal  it  left  me  unsatisfied.  My  heart  yearned  after 
a  closer  personal  contact  with  the  souls  I  was  to  teach  and 
train." 

It  will  be  seen  that  with  the  lapse  of  years  the  vexations  of  the 
editorial  chair  were  not  mentioned,  perhaps  they  were  forgotten; 
their  memories  were  surely  mellowed,  and  the  reason  assigned 
for  return  to  the  pastorate  was  the  vital  and  true  one.  The 
diaries  confirm  this,  for  there  is  the  recurrent  and  persistent 
note  of  heart  yearning  for  the  genialities  and  personal  touch  of 
the  pastoral  relation.  Two  weeks  after  he  was  at  Chambers- 
burg  we  read:  "Feel  lonesome  on  the  Sabbath,  miss  my  flock." 
Later:  ''To  Lewisburg,  so  glad  to  meet  these  dear  people 
again."  "Pleasant  day  to  my  soul,"  after  preaching  three  times 
of  a  Sunday  for  a  brother  minister. 

Mr.  Bausman  said  "Adieu,"  as  editor  in  the  issue  of  Novem- 
ber 27,  1861.  He  wrote  in  happy  mood  with  the  bright  side  of 
the  retrospect  before  him: 

My  editorial  duties  have  generally  been  a  source  of  pleasure 
and  rarely  a  task.     They  afforded  an  opportunity  to  prosecute 


148  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

favorite  literary  pursuits  and  to  weave  their  fruits  into  gar- 
lands for  the  entertainment  of  the  readers, — may  I  not  hope  also 
for  the  instruction  and  edification  of  many? 

The  most  earnest  cogitations  and  the  thoughts  of  my  holiest 
hours  for  the  last  three  years  have  found  expression  in  the  col- 
umns of  this  journal. 

Often  when  much  and  close  earnest  thinking  produced  mental 
plethora,  its  columns  afforded  a  gentle  relief  by  furnishing  a 
useful  outlet  to  repletion  of  thought. 

To  my  contemporary  brother  editors,  especially  of  religious 
journals,  many  of  whom  have  extended  to  me  formal  marks  of 
good  will,  I  tender  my  heartfelt  regards. 

No  man  can  conduct  a  paper  for  any  length  of  time  without 
giving  umbrage  to  somebody.  If  this  has  been  my  lot,  I  have  the 
satisfaction  of  knowing  that  the  persons  affected  at  least  accord 
me  purity  of  intention  and  a  laudable  purpose.  If  at  any  time 
I  have  erred  (and  who  erreth  not?)  it  has  been  an  error  of  judg- 
ment and  not  of  the  heart.  If  I  have  given  any  just  cause  of 
offence,  I  hereby  beg  forgiveness. 

Possibly  I  may  continue  to  have  a  word  to  say  occasionally 
through  the  Messenger  as  a  private  contributor. 

Dr.  Fisher  said: 

We  need  not  disguise  the  fact  that  we  part  with  him  with 
deep  regret — and  the  more  so  because  we  felt  that  our  readers 
would  regret  the  absence  in  our  columns  of  his  editorial  labors. 
His  inclinations  in  this  direction  have  been  repeatedly  evinced 
to  us  during  the  past  two  years.  We  could  not  consistently 
resist  them  any  longer. 

Dr.  Bausman  was  wont  in  his  modesty  to  say  that  for  about 
three  years  he  had  editorial  connection  with  the  Messenger. 
This  is  true  as  far  as  official  relation  is  concerned,  but  the  fact 
is  that  for  five  years  longer  he  continued  to  be  a  prolific  writer 
of  editorials.  Indeed,  the  acceptance  of  his  resignation  by  the 
Synod  at  Easton  was  with  the  expectation  that  part  of  his 
services  would  continue  to  be  given  to  the  Messenger. 

About  400  articles,  many  of  them  lengthy  ones,  came  from 
his  pen  for  the  Messenger  during  the  two  years  pastorate  at 
Chambersburg  and  the  first  three  years  at  Reading. 

There  is  an  interval  of  a  few  months  following  the  ''Adieu," 
during  which  we  find  no  trace  of  his  pen.     In  the  last  issues  of 


EDITOR   OF   THE   MESSENGER  149 

February,  1862,  begins  a  series  of  about  a  dozen  articles  signed 
"Junius."  They  are  less  didactic,  and  more  of  a  humorous 
and  literary  flavor.  At  the  same  time  begins  his  course  of  editor- 
ials proper  signed  with  the  Roman  cross  (~|~)  and  they  continue, 
with  interruptions  only  in  occasional  issues,  until  he  became 
editor  of  the  Guardian  and  of  the  Hausfreund  at  the  close  of 
1866.  During  this  last  year  his  signature  is  the  Greek  cross  (+). 
How  widely  it  was  known  at  the  time  that  he  was  contribut- 
ing editor,  we  are  unable  to  ascertain.  The  leaders  of  the  Church 
knew  of  his  continued  editorial  labors  and  which  articles  were 
his,  as  we  gather  from  such  a  note  as  follows  to  Mr.  Bausman 
from  Dr.  Schneck,  written  in  1865,  from  Chambersburg.  This 
was  after  the  removal  of  the  printing  establishment  to  Philadel- 
phia. 

If  it  were  not  for  the  -|—  marks  in  the  Messenger,  which  in- 
dicate some  life,  we  here  in  the  frontiers  might  conclude  that 
you  were  "non  inventus  est."  By  the  way,  I  have  been  grati- 
fied with  some  of  your  ~|—  articles — among  them  the  one  touch- 
ing up  (or  down)  a  certain  minister  whose  "self-denial" 
is  brought  to  Zero  by  ministering  to   German-English   charges. 

His  services  were  appreciated  and  yet  it  is  doubtless  true  as 
stated  in  a  "Tribute  to  Rev.  Benjamin  Bausman,  D.  D.,"  by  the 
editor  in  the  last  issue  of  the  Messenger  in  the  year  1897,  that  this 
editorial  "work  on  the  Messenger  has  never  received  due  public 
acknowledgment. " 

When  Benjamin  Bausman  resigned  the  editorship  to  resume 
the  pastorate,  he  was  confronted  with  another  challenge  which 
would  lead  him  into  a  theological  professorship.  This  episode 
will  be  given  at  length  in  another  chapter.  -..i 

The  editorials  of  Benjamin  Bausman  in  spirit  and  range  of 
topics  were,  in  the  main,  like  those  found  generally  in  religious 
journals.  In  sanity,  penetrating  insight  and  impassioned  ex- 
pression, in  freshness  and  vigor  of  style  they  were  unique.  We 
find  an  unusual  number  of  heart-searching  appeals  for  warm 
fellowship  with  God  and  for  the  soul's  earnest  battle  with  evil. 
This  is  in  keeping  with  his  fundamental  passion  for  personal 
holiness.  And  we  see  in  them  clear-cut  discernment  of  the  fine 
points  of  conscience  and  of  character,  and  a  knack  of  discover- 


150  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

ing  overlooked  points  of  moral  peril  as  well  as  neglected  coigns 
of  vantage.  Almost  every  conceivable  phase  of  church  life  and 
practice  received  the  treatment  of  his  strong  and  kindly  pen  from 
the  "Sexton"  and  the  need  of  "Fresh  Air"  to  "Clerical  Recre- 
ations" of  which  beyond  dispute  horseback  riding  was  the  best. 
Church  members  were  vigorously  challenged  to  efficient  Chris- 
tian living  and  to  playing  fair  with  their  pastors ;  but  the  min- 
ister holds  the  key  to  the  situation  and  the  young  editor  showed 
himself  a  worthy  professor  of  homiletics  and  practical  theology. 
Ministers  must  become  effective  in  the  winning  and  training  of 
souls  and  in  this  work  preaching  alone  would  not  suffice.  He 
glorified  the  pastoral  function. 

He  was  not  long  in  the  editor's  chair  until  he  gave  expression 
to  what  was  with  him  a  great  life  purpose: 

We  do  not  wish  to  disguise  it,  our  ambition  is  to  give  the  Church 
a  paper  which  will  help  to  denominationalize  our  people.  We 
need  a  general  diffusion  of  our  distinctive  principles,  and  our  aim 
shall  be  to  give  the  Messenger  a  character  which  will  enable  it 
to  inspire  every  family  it  enters  with  the  spirit  of  our  Church,  so 
that  children  even  may  catch  its  glowing  life.  What  we  need, 
in  addition  to  our  excellent  system  of  catechization,  is  to  throw 
a  living  atmosphere  around  our  people,  pour  these  weekly  chan- 
nels of  truth  upon  them,  simple,  practical  truth  fresh  with  bud- 
ding facts  and  incipient  history,  which  old  and  young  can  inhale 
and  relish.  Our  success  will  depend  upon  the  co-operation  of 
the  ministers. 

Therefore  articles,  facts,  increase  of  circulation,  etc.,  were 
needed. 

While  the  theologians  were  trying  to  solve  the  problems  in- 
volved in  the  Church  Question,  he  was  intent  on  getting  the 
people  to  practice  and  live  out  the  principles. 

"Our  Church  is  fast  becoming  conscious  of  her  mission,"  he 
said  later,  and  he  helped  mightily  to  that  end.  As  we  have 
seen  in  former  chapters,  he  hated  sectarianism.  He  was  at  the 
furthest  remove  from  the  intolerant,  narrow,  denominational 
spirit;  but  he  did  believe  that  the  Reformed  Church  was 
best  for  the  Reformed  people,  that  the  denomination  had  a 
distinctive  God — given  work  to  do  amongst  the  people  provi- 


EDITOR   OF  THE   MESSENGER  151 

dentially  committed  to  it.  Mr.  Bausman  was  by  temperament, 
taste  and  training  conservative  and  therefore  he  looked  to  the 
Heidelberg  Catechism  and  the  customs  of  the  Church  for  the 
norm  in  precept  and  practice.  Accordingly  his  editorial  columns 
reechoed  with  calls  to  "Begin  Early"  in  the  Christian  training 
of  children,  to  exercise  the  "Power  of  the  Keys"  in  a  discipline 
that  was  first  explained  and  then  firmly  enforced,  to  observe  the 
Christian  year  in  the  festivals  commemorating  the  great  facts 
of  the  Saviour's  life.  Imbued  with  the  Mercersburg  Theology, 
his  was  a  churchly  gospel  which  emphasized  the  maternal  func- 
tion of  the  Church  in  Christian  nurture  together  with  reverence, 
order,  beauty  and  dignity  in  Christian  worship.  He  argued 
strongly  for  the  prayer-meeting  in  the  life  of  a  congregation. 
It  was  not  inconsistent  with  the  churchly  position.  He  wanted 
a  piety  that  was  rich  in  sentiment,  but  free  from  sentimentality. 
In  the  vital  character  of  Christian  experience  he  found  warrant 
for  what  some  would  call  a  pietistic  emphasis  and  this  he  claimed 
was  sanctioned  by  the  best  Christian  life  of  the  Reformed  Church 
in  the  Fatherland. 

His  first-hand  knowledge  of  affairs  in  church  and  state  abroad, 
sustained  his  interest  therein  and  "Foreign  Intelligence"  was 
prominent  in  the  columns  with  illuminating  comment  thereon, 
particularly  touching  the  Germans. 

Whatever  course  other  denominations  may  pursue,  it  will  be 
a  ruinous  policy  for  the  German  Reformed  Church  to  sever  the 
ties  that  bind  her  to  her  European  mother.  To  be  true  to  our- 
selves and  our  mission,  we  must  grow  and  assimilate  from  the 
past,  from  the  roots  upward  and  not  from  the  top  downwards. 
In  our  developments  in  theology  and  cultus,  we  must  advance 
with  becoming  reference  to  the  history  of  the  Church,  or  we  will 
develop  ourselves  loose  from  the  vitalizing  trunk  from  which  we 
have  sprung.  Vanity  and  irreverence  for  the  past  are  besetting 
sins  of  American  Theology. 

Our  great  need  just  now  is  firmness  and  fixedness  of  purpose 
and  principle.  A  Church,  like  an  individual,  can  only  perform 
her  mission  by  being  true  to  herself.  When  she  swerves  and 
swings  from  the  principles  which  give  her  a  vital  individuality, 
she  must  be  content  to  live  on  the  shadow  of  an  inherited  name. 

Words  still  rich  in  wisdom  after  fifty  years! 


152  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

Anyone  acquainted  with  Mr.  Bausman  knows  that  indecision 
on  any  important  problem  was  unusual  for  him.  It  is  interest- 
ing to  note  that  on  the  question  then  under  discussion  of  drop- 
ping the  word  ''German"  from  the  denomination's  name,  he 
was  undecided.  He  was  in  a  strait  betwixt  two.  Practical  con- 
siderations said,  Drop  it.  Reverence  and  precious  associations 
said,  Retain  it. 

In  those  days  the  Reformed  Church  was  making  its  first  ex- 
cursion into  the  Foreign  Mission  field  through  its  missionary, 
Dr.  Schneider,  in  Aintab,  Turkey.  Of  course,  Mr.  Bausman's 
heart  and  hand  was  with  the  cause,  but  with  the  distinct  under- 
standing that  first  and  foremost  effort  must  be  spent  here  at 
home  and  especially  in  the  much  needed  building  up  of  our  own 
people.  Withal,  the  poor  in  purse  and  piety  were  upon  his 
heart,  and  each  church  was  often  reminded  to  do  its  duty  by 
them  in  a  spirit  that  makes  one  feel  how  close  and  true  Mr.  Baus- 
man was  to  the  great  compassion  of  his  Master. 

In  the  first  year  of  his  ministry,  Mr.  Bausman  had  expressed 
to  Herman  Rust  his  viev/s  of  how  the  Messenger  should  be  con- 
ducted : 

Whoever  will  have  control  of  its  columns,  I  do  hope  it  will 
cease  to  serve  as  an  apologist  of  the  views  of  any  one  man,  or 
number  of  men,  though  they  be  the  dearest  friends  I  have  on 
earth.  Dr.  Nevin  can  take  care  of  himself,  so  can  Dr.  Schaff. 
The  Messenger  should,  and,  to  be  successful,  must  be  the  organ 
of  the  German  Reformed  Church,  and  not  the  organ  of  one  or 
two  men.  If  there  are  any  precious  truths  to  be  proclaimed, 
let  them  be  proclaimed  as  the  truths  of  our  venerable  Catechism, 
and  not  as  the  offspring  of  any  man's  system. 

When  it  fell  to  his  lot  to  "control  its  columns"  he  soon  dis- 
covered how  hard  it  was  to  conduct  the  paper  according  to  his 
liking.  A  flood  of  articles  on  the  Liturgical  Controversy  was 
pouring  into  the  editor's  ofiice.  He  reahzed  that  "the  subject 
of  worship  involved  in  this  question,  is  of  paramount  and 
most  practical  importance.  At  the  same  time,"  runs  this  one 
of  his  early  editorials,  on  "Too  Much  of  a  Good  Thing,"  "we 
are  willing  to  admit  that  no  subject  however  important,  should 
monopolize  so  large  a  part  of  our  columns."     He  wrote  of  the 


EDITOR   OF  THE   MESSENGER  153 

matter  to  Rust:  "If  I  can  only  get  the  brethren  to  avoid 
personalities,  and  discuss  their  differences  in  the  spirit  of  charity. 
I  would  like  if  we  could  give  a  dignified,  solid  tone  to  the 
Messenger,  free  from  the  petty,  bitter  strifes  that  so  often 
characterize  our  religious  papers." 

He  very  soon  felt  the  consequences  of  these  restraining  efforts 
as  we  see  from  his  note  to  the  Rev.  Chas.  H.  Leinbach:  "The 
bullets  are  whizzing  about  my  head  for  drawing  the  reins  on  the 
Liturgical  race.  Let  them  fly.  If  I  am  to  drive  a  team  I  must 
have  something  to  say  about  the  loading." 

The  needs  of  the  plain  people  were  always  before  Mr.  Bausman 
and  in  later  editorials  appeared  the  following: 

We  must  bear  in  mind,  that  the  great  bulk  of  our  readers  are 
lay  members  of  the  Church,  who  may  be  willing  to  read  a  few 
columns  of  matter  on  the  subject,  but  cannot  take  the  same 
patient  interest  as  the  ministers  in  reading  much  more. 

It  is  of  the  greatest  importance  not  to  allow  the  discussion  to 
spread  over  so  large  a  territory,  that  the  points  at  issue  will 
either  dissolve  into  "airy  nothings,"  where  no  one  can  see  what 
the  earnest  contenders  are  firing  at,  or  else  the  writers  will  take 
each  other  by  the  throat  instead  of  their  principles. 

Our  business  is  to  write  for  the  instruction  and  edification  of 
our  readers.  What  right  have  we  to  weary  them  with  scathing 
personalities,  by  filling  their  ears  with  things  that  concern  no- 
body but  ourselves? 

It  is  this  feature — the  prevalence  of  polemical  acrimony — that 
is  most  to  be  deplored  in  the  religious  journaUsm  of  our  day. 

A  religious  paper,  to  say  the  least,  ought  to  be  a  gentleman, 
and  no  gentleman  could  be  caught  in  such  unbecoming  ebulli- 
tions as  some  controversialists  perpetrate. 

As  an  exchange  has  it,  we  ought  not  "write  paragraphs  like 
the  decrees  of  the  council  of  Trent — everyone  ending  with  ana- 
thema, maranatha, "  or  "instead  of  pouring  the  oil  of  healing 
upon  their  victim,  drench  him  with  the  oil  of  vitriol." 

These  were  "belligerent  times,"  and  the  pleadings  of  an 
irenic  spirit  were  of  no  avail.  Another  course  was  open  to  him 
and  he  took  it  with  firmness  and  fine  courage.  As  editor  of  the 
Messenger  he  felt  that  he  was  "held  responsible  for  the  tone 
and  spirit  of  its  general  contents."  His  action  in  the  matter 
was  expressed  in  this  brief  editorial  of  May  22,  1861 : 


154  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

The  discussion  on  the  Liturgy  from  present  appearances, 
promises  to  assume  huge  proportions,  if  allowed  to  go  forward 
unrestrained.  It  has  also,  much  to  our  regret,  run  out  into  per- 
sonalities. In  view  of  these  facts,  we  feel  constrained  to  close 
our  columns  against  its  further  continuance,  after  the  copy  now 
in  hand  is  exhausted,  which  will  be  with  the  next  issue. 

Mr.  Bausman's  last  word  on  the  subject  came  a  month  later 
in  reply  to  a  person  who  made  the  double  complaint:  on  the 
one  hand  against  "allowing  a  discussion  marked  by  discourtesy 
and  personalities  from  beginning  to  end, "  and  on  the  other  against 
his  shutting  off  the  discussion  in  the  Messenger  altogether: 

It  is  painful  to  find  the  advisor  among  the  first  to  transgress 
his  own  counsels. 

More  important  than  preaching  is  worship.  But  when  the 
subject  of  devotion  is  profaned  by  personalities,  and  our  zeal 
for  devotion  becomes  undevout,  we  insist  that  silence  is  better 
than  discussion. 

When  discussions  take  this  turn,  it  is  useless  to  attempt  to 
dip  the  bitter  water  out  of  the  stream.  The  only  feasible  plan  is 
to  stop  the  fountain. 

In  the  seventy-fifth  anniversary  number    of    the 
January  14,  1904,  he  wrote  regarding  this 

battle  within  our  own  denominational  lines,  fought  by  men 
of  equal  sincerity  and  force.  I  have  reason  to  know  how  dif- 
ficult and  often  unpleasant  it  was  to  be  the  Mordecai  at  the 
gates.  To  discriminate  against  one's  best  friends,  who,  with 
impetuous  determination,  demanded  a  hearing,  required  a  high 
degree  of  courage,  combined  with  editorial  courtesy.  Indeed, 
one  sometimes  felt  a  sort  of  premonition  that  e'er  long  he  would 
have  to  exchange  the  editorial  tripod  for  the  gibbet.  At  this 
late  day  it  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  acknowledge  the  uniform 
courtesy  and  kindness  of  contributors  from  whom  I  sometimes 
had  to  differ. 

In  a  similar  situation  was  Mr.  Bausman  as  editor  in  another 
and  greater  controversy.  Regarding  this  he  wrote  in  the  same 
anniversary  issue:  "During  the  Civil  War  the  paper  had  to 
represent  the  Reformed  Church,  North  and  South.  Within 
fifteen  miles  from  the  border,  it  was  frank  and  outspoken  for  the 
Union  without  bitterness  toward  those  whom  we  charitably  con- 


EDITOR    OF   THE   MESSENGER  155 

sidered  our  erring  brethren  of  the  South.     Its  utterances  never 
winked  at  disloyalty." 

Exceedingly  cautious  editing  and  utterance  was  required,  as 
we  see  from  his  correspondence  with  a  friend,  who  resided  in  the 
South: 

My  Dear  Bausman: 

Let  me  ask  your  attention  to  the  occasional  complimentary 
notices  contained  in  your  clippings  of  the  Rev.  Henry  Ward 
Beecher,  a  man  whose  blasphemy  is  only  equalled  by  his  theo- 
logical charlatanry  and  clownish  buffoonery. 

I  am  not  a  Southern  fire-eater,  nor  a  secessionist,  but  I  dis- 
like to  see  the  name  of  the  scoffing  Beecher  appear  in  the  col- 
umns of  a  paper  destined  to  enter  the  families  of  our  Church. 
He  has  become  a  sort  of  synonym  for  all  that  is  offensive,  not 
only  to  good  Christians,  but  to  everybody  living  south  of  Mason 
and  Dixon's  line.  We  ask  not  that  you  publish  slavery  ha- 
rangues— they  have  no  place  in  a  religious  paper;  but  we  insist 
upon  it  that  our  eyes  shall  not  be  offended  with  implied  com- 
plimentary notices  of  those  whose  names  are  redolent  with  of- 
fence to  Christianity. 

Now,  my  dear  B.,  you  will  avoid  giving  offence,  if  you  will 
carefully  avoid  publishing  anything  at  all  about  this  theologas- 
ter — this  mountebank  auctioneer  of  church  pews  and  super- 
intendent of  a  Congregational  tenpin  alley  in  Brooklyn. 

To  this  came  the  reply: 

I  admit  the  correctness  and  propriety  of  everything  you  say 
in  your  note  of  yesterday.  Whenever  I  have  selected  anything 
of  this  kind,  I  did  it  for  the  truth  it  contained,  apart  from  the 
political  or  theological  status  of  the  author.  I  am  trying  to 
keep  all  such  stuff  out  of  the  Messenger,  and  whilst  subjecting 
the  contributions  of  others  to  the  most  rigid  scrutiny,  inadver- 
tently fall  into  the  same  error  myself.  Forgive  me  and  I  will 
try  and  do  better. 

Now,  my  dear ,  won't  you  give  me  an  evidence  of  your 

forgiveness  by  sending  me  a  scrap  for  our  columns?     I  can  as- 
sure you  that  would  very  much  gratify 

Your  friend, 

Bausman. 

As  one  reads  Mr.  Bausman's  editorials  of  that  trying  time 
he  must  be  impressed  with  the  tact  and  wisdom  which  he  showed. 
His  poise,  his  courage,  tempered  with  moderation,  make  one  liken 


156  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

him  to  the  great  man  then  President  of  the  nation  whom  in  some 
points  of  personal  appearance  as  well  he  resembled  not  a  little. 
He,  of  course,  joined  heartily  in  the  spirit  of  the  "Fast  Day" 
appointed  by  President  Buchanan  at  the  beginning  of  1861. 

Reckless  polticians  rave  wildly  while  earnest  Christians  betake 
themselves  in  devout  supplication  to  the  God  of  nations.  Here 
will  be  our  only  remedy.  Shall  this  beautiful  fabric  of  govern- 
ment, so  prosperous  and  successful  hitherto,  not  even  reach  the 
end  of  a  century?  Little  can  be  expected  from  the  violent  crim- 
inating speeches  in  Congress,  but  the  Power  that  turns  the  hearts 
of  the  children  of  men  as  the  rivers  are  turned  can  do  all  things. 

He  recommended  the  omission  of  sermons  on  the  Fast  Day 
"United  fervent  prayer  to  God  can  do  more  than  the  best  ser- 
mons just  now.  Such  special  sermons  too  often  degenerate  into 
mere  political  harangues.  It  is  God  whom  we  need  for  a  helper. 
Man  has  been  tried  long  enough." 

When  hostilities  broke  out  he  saw  that  they  were  inevitable 
and  that  good  would  be  the  outcome: 

Anyone  who  has  earnestly  watched  the  progress  of  political 
affairs  for  the  last  ten  years,  must  see  that  we  need  a  severe 
corrective — a  thorough  national  convulsion  which  will  obliterate 
party  lines  and  purge  the  country  of  its  political  corruptions  in 
the  fiery  furnace  of  trial. 

Patriotism  has  degenerated  into  peculation. 

Politicians  ought  to  be  taught  that  patriotism  means  more 
than  a  race  for  place  and  plunder. 

Practically,  the  virtue  of  sacrifice  for  a  higher  principle — for 
an  object  outside  of  ourselves,  for  country  or  Christ  has  become 
extinct.     The  events  of  the  last  few  weeks  have  rekindled  it. 

Our  prayer  and  plea  still  is  for  peace.  But  if  that  be  no  longer 
possible,  then  under  the  circumstances,  we  regard  war  as  an 
alternative  not  unmixed  with  good. 

What  fine,  loyal  words  are  these,  his  editorial  of  May  22, 
1861: 

Irrespective  of  the  causes  which  led  to  it,  when  it  becomes  a 
question  of  government  or  no  government,  no  one  should  charge 
us  with  partisan  bias  for  raising  our  voice  in  its  defence. 

The  government  is  above  all  parties  and  Presidents  and  indi- 
vidual men. 


EDITOR   OF  THE   MESSENGER  157 

Shall  we  applaud  the  act  that  aims  to  palsy  its  strong  arm? 
Motives  of  gratitude  forbid  it.  Under  God  we  owe  our  all  per- 
sonally to  its  beneficent  providence. 

It  gave  shelter  to  our  persecuted  ancestors. 

Its  flag  has  greeted  and  protected  us  on  four  continents. 

In  Naples  where  hundreds  of  liberty-loving  prisoners  were  led 
through  the  streets  chained  together,  and  the  rage  of  the  indig- 
nant populace  had  to  be  suppressed  with  bayonets,  the  frigate 
Constitution  was  kept  in  the  harbor  to  rescue  American  travel- 
ers in  the  event  of  a  popular  irruption.  In  the  villages  of  Arabia 
where  Turks  thirst  for  the  blood  of  Christians,  the  sight  of  the 
flag  unfurled  above  the  hut  of  some  vice-consul  made  us  feel 
contented  and  safe.  In  Damascus,  when  rife  with  revolution, 
the  sight  of  our  flag  was  the  signal  of  protection  and  safety,  for 
it  symbolized  the  glory  and  power  of  30,000,000  of  freemen  and 
threw  around  us  an  emblematic  shield  as  powerful  practically 
as  an  army  of  50,000  men.  Its  voiceless  majesty  filled  tyrants 
with  envy  and  the  great  and  good  with  admiration.  Beneath 
that  flag  an  American  citizen  is  safe  in  every  land  and  every 
clime.  Shall  we  in  return  bless  the  hand  that  assails  it,  or  see 
it  dishonored  with  indifference? 

We  appreciate  the  difficult  situation  of  our  Reformed  brethren 
in  the  seceded  States.  Some  may  tell  us  they  have  no  longer 
any  choice  between  the  government  and  its  antagonists.  We 
heartily  deplore  the  action  which  has  deprived  them  of  an  alterna- 
tive. We  have  one,  and  God  will  hold  us  accountable  for  our 
course  in  the  matter. 

Our  position  is  unequivocally  on  the  side  of  the  government, 
no  matter  what  man  a  constitutional  majority  may  place  at  the 
helm. 

He  wrote  to  Dr.  L.  H.  Steiner  of  Frederick,  Md.,  in  September, 
1861 : 

I  am  happy  to  hear  that  you  are  employed  in  serving  the 
country. 

I  must  confess,  with  some  quasi-opponents  of  the  govern- 
ment, my  patience  has  been  well-nigh  exhausted.  I  am  bottling 
up  my  indignation  tightly,  but  I  tell  you,  sir,  don't  shake  the 
thing  too  much,  for  if  the  cork  pops  out  or  the  bottle  bursts,  the 
storm  will  have  vent  somewhither.  Rather  than  whitewash  the 
rotten  maggot  factories  of  secessionism,  I  will  dig  trenches  and 
use  these  long,  bony  arms  to  mount  guns  and  crack  away  at  the 
enemy.  I  often  feel  as  if  I  could  gladly  stand  up  and  be  shot 
down — or  shoot  somebody  else  down — if  that  would  help  the 


158  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

matter.  I  shall  try  and  hold  my  peace  in  the  Messenger,  for 
ferocity,  even  when  exercised  from  patriotic  motives,  conduces 
little  to  edification.  But  if  the  little  I  did  say  in  favor  of  our 
bleeding  country  aroused  the  ulcerated  hearts  of  semi-traitors, 
and  if  their  wishes  are  to  be  gratified  by  the  Church,  I  am  willing 
to  lay  down  my  pen  at  five  minutes'  notice,  and  be  thankful  be- 
sides for  the  relief. 

The  war  was  all  engrossing,  A  few  weeks  before  the  first 
Bull  Run  he  wrote: 

We  have  fallen  upon  strange  times — I  mean,  we  editors.  No 
matter  what  subject  we  begin  with  just  now — fate,  foreknowledge 
or  faith — in  spite  of  all  efforts  to  the  contrary,  we  must  hitch  it 
to  the  war. 

The  plot  thickens.  The  actors  are  crowding  upon  the  stage. 
The  curtain  is  about  to  be  raised.     God  defend  the  right. 

Mr.  Bausman  was  quick  to  see  the  perils  to  Christians  at  this 
particular  time:  "There  is  danger  in  allowing  our  thoughts'  to 
to  become  too  much  absorbed  in  a  temporal  government,  at  the 
sacrifice  of  our  concern  for  the  glory  and  prosperity  of  the  King- 
dom of  Jesus  Christ.  Guard  against  this  passion  for  excited 
discussion." 

Political  prayers  were  a  peril  to  pastors.  He  had  "listened  to 
an  excellent  discourse  prefaced  with  a  prayer  full  of  powder  and 
bullets.  The  worthy  divine  seemed  to  agonize  for  expressions 
horribly  sulphuric.  We  too  claim  to  be  loyal  and  pray  to  avert 
anarchy,  but  ask  to  be  excused  from  whipping  the  Rebels  over 
the  back  of  the  Being  to  whom  the  prayer  purports  to  be  ad- 
dressed." 

Soldiers  were  admonished  not  to  forget  their  religious  duties 
in  the  turmoil  of  army  life  and  he  plead  again  and  again  for  pious 
chaplains  in  place  of  the  many  godless  adventurers  who  so  often 
profaned  the  holy  ofiice  in  the  regiments.  In  the  fall  of  1862 
the  War  Department  issued  an  order  that  only  "a  regularly 
ordained  minister  of  good  standing"  could  be  appointed  chap- 
lain. Mr.  Bausman  certainly  helped  to  create  the  public  opinion 
demanding  this  and  steadied  the  minds  of  multitudes  in  that 
troublesome  period. 


EDITOR   OF   THE   MESSENGER  159 

Benjamin  Bausman  was  a  true  prophet  and  some  of  his  edi- 
torials would  be  good  tracts  for  our  times  in  this  twentieth  cen- 
tury. Some  of  his  articles  on  systematic  giving  read  like  pam- 
phlets of  the  Laymen's  Missionary  Movement.  Does  not  the 
following,  written  over  fifty  years  ago,  sound  like  a  present  pro- 
test against  the  ravages  of  corporate  greed?  We  see  that  "Gov- 
ernment supervision"  is  not  a  new  phrase. 

Our  Legislatures  are  productive  of  laws  to  facilitate  commerce 
and  produce  and  acquire  wealth,  whilst  nothing  is  done  to  pro- 
tect human  life  against  the  deceit  and  knavery  which  a  lust  for 
gain  inspires.  Steamboat  and  railway  companies  as  well  as  the 
owners  of  manufactories,  hold  so  many  human  lives  in  their 
hands,  that  they  should  not  only  be  held  accountable  for  their 
safety,  but  the  government  ought  to  have  a  strict  supervision 
over  all  works  of  this  kind  and  forbid  the  using  of  any  unless 
pronounced  perfectly  safe  by  competent  judges. 

Even  in  this  free  America  a  man  has  no  right  to  do  as 
he  pleases  unless  he  pleases  to  do  right,  whatever  our  laws  may 
say  or  not  say  to  the  contrary. 

A  genial  humor  was  ever  welling  up  through  his  editorials- 
It  seasoned  them  with  salt  but  did  not  rob  them  of  their  dignity- 
The  use  of  tobacco  received  occasionally  this  happy  treatment- 
After  a  "Sermon  on  'The  Weed',"  he  received  a  note  from  Dr- 
Steiner  containing  this  sentence:  "Having  filled  my  pipe  (in  de- 
fiance of  the  opinion  and  counterblast  of  the  editor  of  the  Mes- 
senger) and  taken  the  pen,  I  propose  having  a  little  talk  with 
you." 

To  this  Mr.  Bausman  repHed: 

As  to  the  "pipe"  which  kept  you  such  pleasant  company  dur- 
ing the  writing  of  your  note,  the  allusion  to  it  almost  made  my 
mouth  water — not  a  very  chaste  expression  but  a  significant  one. 
The  fact  is,  every  man's  theory  is  above  his  practice.  On  the 
leading  questions  of  the  day — as  for  example  the  use  of  tobacco 
and  marriage — I  am  orthodox.  But  unfortunately,  I  have  not 
yet  succeeded  to  get  my  practice  up  to  theoretical  accuracy. 
As  to  the  "weed,"  I  use  it  with  extreme  moderation — some- 
times once  a  month,  sometimes  half  a  dozen  times,  according 
to  the  company  I  fall  into. 

We  will  take  space  to  view  him  as  a  punster.     He  was  exhort- 


160  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

ing  his  constituency  to  "read  patiently"  the  reports  of  the  Classes, 
"somewhat  prolix  and  tedious — so  many  names,  committees, 
whereases  and  resolveds,"  he  granted.     He  went  on  : 

But  names,  too,  have  a  deep  meaning.  Look,  for  example,  at 
that  East  Susquehanna  Classis,  and  observe  how  richly  sugges- 
tive some  of  their  names  are.  Steinmetz  at  once  reminds  one  of 
a  blaster  of  rocks,  breaking  the  fallow  ground  and  fitting  it  for 
the  seed.  And  Duenger  follows  to  enrich  and  fertilize  the  soil. 
A  fruitful  harvest  requires  vats  and  vessels  to  store  it  away  and 
so  we  must  needs  have  a  Kieffer  (cooper).  Sweet  is  the  music 
of  church-going  bells  in  those  charming  Susquehanna  valleys. 
As  the  pastor  is  not  the  gospel  bell  itself,  but  simply  the  hammer 
which  evokes  its  celestial  sounds,  they  must  of  necessity  have 
a  Schellhammer.  Growth  in  Imowledge  makes  us  Wiser  and 
the  highest  and  most  enduring  worth  possesses  he  who  is  rich 
in  goodness  {Goodrich).  What  more  cheering  in  the  trying 
vicissitudes  of  ministerial  life  than  to  have  a  hope-man  {Hoff- 
man). In  all  ages  of  the  world,  the  wolf  has  had  a  terrifying 
reputation,  whose  howl  has  produced  a  DoZe-orous  wail  where- 
ever  his  wild  prowlings  have  led  him.  Yet  the  harmless  inno- 
cence of  these  East  Susquehanna  Wolves  is  prophetic  of  that 
Golden  age  of  the  world,  "when  the  wolf  shall  dwell  with  the 
lamb." 


CHAPTER  VIII 


Chambersburg — 1859-1863 


THE  personal  and  social  relations  of  Mr.  Bausman  in  Cham- 
bersburg were  very  pleasant.  Mr.  M.  A.  Foltz  worked 
by  his  side  in  the  printing  establishment  and  is  well  qualified  to 
witness : 


I  had  delightful  intercourse  with  him  while  in  the 
office.  The  warm  attachment  existing  between  the  editors  of  the 
Messenger  was  delightful  to  see  in  the  editorial  and  business  office, 
as  well  as  in  the  social  circles  in  which  they  moved.  Everything 
about  Dr.  Bausman  bespoke  the  man  of  magnanimity  enlivened 
upon  occasion  by  chaste  and  gentle  humor.  He  charmed  all  by 
his  amiability  and  good  nature. 

Fifty  years  ago  horseback  riding  was  the  popular  thing.  By 
none  was  it  more  greatly  enjoyed  than  the  editors  of  the  Messenger, 
and  kindred  spirits,  all  of  whom  were  clever  mounts.  Of  these 
diversions,  their  participants  and  the  hospitalities  shown  him  in 
Dr.  Fisher's  home,  Dr.  Bausman  himself  charmingly  relates. 

The  account  following  is  from  the  Guardian  of  1881,  shortly 
after  Dr.  Fisher's  death: 

During  my  association  with  Dr.  Fisher  in  Chambersburg,  we 
were  in  the  habit  of  taking  rides  a  horseback  together  of  an  after- 
noon, for  recreation.  Dr.  Fisher  had  a  bay  horse  of  which  he  was 
just  a  little  proud.  As  was  his  habit,  with  man  or  beast,  once  he 
took  one  into  his  confidence,  he  stuck  to  him  at  all  hazards  and 
treated  his  faults  charitably.  He  could  not  brook  the  slightest 
insinuation  that  "Bill"  had  any  defects.  Now  I  knew  better, 
although  I  scarcely  ventured  to  hint  my  views  on  this  subject. 
Riding  down  a  steep  hill  one  day,  Bill's  fore  legs,  which  were 
somewhat  sprung,  suddenly  gave  way;  down  went  the  horse, 
pitching  his  rider  head  foremost  over  his  head,  with  a  violence 
that  filled  me  with  terror.  How  relieved  I  felt  when  he  arose, 
picked  up  his  hat,  wiped  off  the  earth  from  his  clothing,  and  mut- 
tered something  about  the  horse  having  tramped  on  a  loose  stone. 
He  mounted  again  and  after  silently  riding  along  at  a  walk,  I  at 
11  161 


162  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

length  feebly  suggested  that  Bill's  knee-sprung  joints  had  given 
way.  With  characteristic  emphasis,  his  thoughts  outran  his 
capacity  of  articulation  peculiar  to  him  when  under  excitement, 
he  denied  the  charge  and  did  his  utmost  to  clear  the  faithful 
horse  from  all  blame  or  defect. 

These  rides  familiarized  me  with  all  the  shaded  lanes  and  by- 
ways around  Chambersburg.  He  always  had  a  seat  for  me  in 
his  carriage,  along  with  his  family.  After  our  return,  I  would 
have  a  welcome  place  at  his  hospitable  board.  Those  cozy 
groups  are  green  spots  in  my  Chambersburg  experience.  Hon. 
Judge  F.  M.  Kimmel,  Dr.  James  Kennedy  and  family.  Dr.  B.  S. 
Schneck  and  wife,  and  others,  are  still  set  with  unfaded  freshness 
in  the  picture  of  those  little  social  gatherings  I  fondly  remember. 
When  around  his  own  fireside,  the  hard-working  brother  forgot 
his  burdens  and  mingled  with  innocent  glee  in  the  chat  and  cheer 
of  social  intercourse. 

These  horseback  rides  sometimes  led  us  beyond  the  bounds  of 
moderation,  at  least  so  far  as  speed  was  concerned.  Four  of  us 
constituted  ourselves  informally  into  a  sort  of  a  riding  club.  Dr. 
Fisher,  G.  R.  Messersmith,  cashier  of  the  Chambersburg  Bank, 
myself  and  sometimes  Dr.  Schneck  would  be  together;  each  had  his 
own  horse.  The  cashier  was  a  capital  rider,  and  had  the  best 
horse ;  still  each  of  us  thought  we  were  equal  to  him  in  the  former 
respect.  His  was  a  natural  pacer,  and  quite  fleet-footed  at  that. 
For  miles  our  horses  walked  nimbly  along,  whilst  their  riders 
discussed  matters  grave  and  gay.  Coming  to  a  level  piece  of  road 
we  would  spur  them  on  a  little;  whilst  the  banker's  bay  would 
amble  faster  and  faster  in  a  sort  of  bantering  way,  ours  would 
lope.  Who  could  resist  such  a  challenge?  It  was  not  long  until 
the  three  horses  were  put  to  their  utmost  speed,  each  of  the  riders 
with  hand  and  voice  urging  his  animal  onward,  whilst  the  women 
and  children  of  many  houses  along  the  road  rushed  to  their  front 
doors,  some  who  knew  us  expressing  their  astonishment  at  so 
unusual  a  sight.  What  a  thorough  shaking  up  of  every  joint, 
muscle  and  fibre  of  the  body  those  harmless  rival  feats  in  horse- 
manship used  to  give  us.  Few  remedies  are  so  recuperating 
after  six  or  eight  hours  hard  mental  work,  as  one  or  two  hours 
ride  on  a  trotting  or  even  galloping  horse.  Alas!  three  of  the 
four  riders  now  lie  buried  under  the  cypress  shades  of  Chambers- 
burg cemeteries.  The  last  letter  I  received  from  the  cashier 
contained  a  very  pressing  invitation  to  pay  him  a  visit;  and  re- 
membering my  weakness,  he  said  that  his  horse,  "one  of  the  best 
and  handsomest  animals  in  the  coimty,  full  of  action  and  life," 
should  be  at  my  disposal. 


CHAMBERSBURG  163 

A  few  years  before  the  above  was  written  and  after  Dr. 
Schneck's  death  he  wrote  to  Mrs.  Schneek: 

I  have  often  gratefully  called  to  mind  the  many  pleasant  hours 
which  I  spent  in  your  cozy  home.  How  I  would  often  freely  drop 
in  as  occasion  might  offer,  not  even  going  through  the  formality 
of  ringing  the  door-bell,  but  entering  by  the  side  way,  helping 
to  form  a  little  group  of  the  Doctor,  yourself  and  Kate,  around 
the  dining-room  window,  which  faces  the  alley.  Discussing  some 
book  or  somebody's  trouble,  chatting  about  all  our  hearts  had 
felt  and  our  eyes  seen  at  home  and  abroad.  I,  all  the  while,  un- 
bending as  heartily  as  if  I  had  been  sitting  with  my  natural  par- 
ents. Feeling  in  my  inmost  soul  that  here  I  was  with  friends, 
who  not  only  felt  an  interest  in  me,  but  to  whom  I  could  freely 
lay  open  all  the  cares  and  concealments  of  my  heart.  Often  we 
would  be  grouped  around  the  table,  partaking  of  a  cheerful  meal. 
And  many  a  ride  I  took  with  good  Dr.  Schneek  on  horseback, 
when  our  voices  would  ring  with  innocent  mirth  as  we  displayed 
our  skill  in  horsemanship.  All  this  forms  a  pleasant  picture  to 
me,  at  which  fond  memory  loves  to  look.  To  my  mind,  and  I 
suppose  to  yours,  too,  those  pleasures  were  childlike  and  cheering. 
God  gave  them  to  us  with  little  of  the  alloy  of  sin. 

And  I  sometimes  think  that  such  scenes  as  we  there  enjoyed, 
are  parables  of  the  heavenly  home;  where  all  the  purer  social  and 
spiritual  wants  of  our  souls  shall  be  most  genially  and  eternally 
met.  For  I  think  that  just  as  a  human  mother  knows  how  to 
meet  every  peculiar  want  of  her  child,  so  the  Jerusalem  which  is 
above,  the  mother  of  us  all,  will  fit  up  the  furniture  and  family  of 
our  Father's  house,  so  as  to  make  every  member  of  it  superlatively 
happy. 

The  exacting  duties  of  the  editorial  chair  did  not  engross  all 
his  energies.  He  was  busy  too  with  his  voice  and  had  more  op- 
portunities than  he  cared  or  had  strength  to  use.  "His  talks 
on  the  Pilgrimage  to  the  Holy  Land,  given  at  mid-week  and  other 
services  in  town  and  country,  made  him  a  prime  favorite  with 
churchmen  and  others  of  the  community,"  says  Mr.  Foltz,  and 
men  who  were  then  boys  recall  the  thrills  of  excitement  he  stirred 
in  them  by  his  dramatic  recital  of  his  odd  and  perilous  adventures. 
The  greater  number  of  his  Sundays  were  occupied  by  officiating 
in  charges  nearby  as  a  rule,  but  often  quite  distant.  Not  only 
did  this  preaching  bring  him  joy  and  a  comforting  change  of 
activity,  but  his  direct  contact  with  the  various  charges   and 


164  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

their  needs  was  of  benefit  to  the  paper  and  to  the  Church  in  help- 
ing to  keep  fresh  and  pertinent  his  writings.  His  favorite  text 
in  these  days  was  characteristic,   "Thy  will  be  done." 

He  paid  several  visits  to  his  beloved  former  flock.  Two  let- 
ters regarding  such  a  visit  to  his  genial  successor,  Leinbach,  will 
interest  us: 

January  2,  1860. 
My  dear  Charlie, 

1860!  How  strange  it  seems  to  write  this!  I  will  try  to  come 
on  Friday.  I  beg  you  leave  the  thing  out  of  the  Chronicle  this 
time.  I  have  no  objection  to  the  turkeys  at  the  right  time  and 
place,  but  keep  them  out  of  my  sight  if  I  am  to  preach.  I  will 
have  nothing  to  do  with  them  at  such  times.  'S  liegt  mer  alle 
well  ener  uf  em  Mage  und  darum  so  bald, 

Dein  Ergebenster,* 

Bausman. 

January  13,  1860. 

Had  a  tolerably  pleasant  time  returning,  with  all  manner  of 
thoughts,  in  which  your  rotund  majesty  figured  not  a  little. 
Such  a  visit  I  have  not  made  for  a  long  time — almost  equal  to  one 
of  Henry  Ward  Beecher's  lectures — with  eighty  dollars  in  my 
pocket.  Had  to  think  of  the  many  hearty  laughs  we  had  to- 
gether. I  sometimes  feel  like  thanking  the  Giver  of  all  good  for 
the  faculty  to  laugh.  It  is  not  only  a  healthy  exercise  for  the 
body,  but  good  for  the  spirit.  The  man  that  can't  laugh — well, 
I  pity  him — 'fit  for  treason,  strategem'  und  so  weiter?  But 
immoderate  laughter!  Die  Thrane  sind  mer  die  Backe  nunner 
g'loffe.f 

Well,  my  visit  was  a  rich  treat  to  me  principally  on  account  of 
those  religious  services  and  your  genial  society.  I  feel  anxious 
to  know  how  your  meeting  is  progressing.  I  have  sometimes 
thought  we  could  accomplish  more  at  such  times,  if  we  would 
keep  more  serious  and  prayerful  during  the  day.  Feasting  and 
frivolity  are  poorly  calculated  to  prepare  one  for  an  efficient 
ministry. 

After  speaking  of  his  editorial  "vexations  and  annoyances" 
he  went  on — 

But  then  I  often  feel  as  though  I  were  one  of  the  happiest  beings 
alive,  all  the  happier  because  I  so  poorly  deserve  my  peace  of 

*  There's  one  lying  on  my  stomach  just  now,  and  therefore  now  your  most 
humble. 

t  The  tears  ran  down  my  cheeks. 


CHAMBERSBURG  165 

body  and  mind.  I  am  sure  there  are  few  of  my  ministerial 
brethren  happier  than  I  am.  When  I  review  my  history  I  see  an 
uninterrupted  chain  of  divine  mercies  bestowed  upon  me.  Our 
imhappiness  often  springs  from  our  vain  ungrateful  hearts.  No 
sorrow  or  trial  can  befall  us  which  can  in  the  least  compare  with 
the  sorrow  Jesus  bore  for  us.  This  thought  is  often  precious 
and  soothing  to  me. 

A  month  or  two  after  the  above  was  written  he  began  con- 
ducting catechetical  classes  at  two  small  country  congregations 
to  the  west  of  Chambersburg,  Strasburg  and  Kieffer's.  He  con- 
firmed those  classes  in  the  fall.  Satisfying  work  it  was.  After 
returning  from  such  instruction  one  day  he  wrote  in  his  diary: 
"Had  delightful  feelings  this  evening;  felt  the  nearness  and 
goodness  of  God  and  could  not  think  of  a  being  whom  I  did  not 
love." 

When  the  several  Classes  were  in  session  he  visited  many  of 
them,  and  in  the  spring  of  1860  spent  several  weeks  in  Ohio  and 
attended  the  Western  Synod  at  Akron.  This  was  in  response 
to  an  urgent  request  of  Rust,  Prugh  and  Mease  to  come  and 
have  an  "interview  with  them  on  church  matters."  Harbaugh 
and  Higbee  too,  were  there.  "O,  how  pleasant  to  meet  them" 
he  made  record.     He  had  not  seen  Rust  for  nine  years. 

His  movements  over  the  Church  afforded  him  many  oppor- 
tunities to  run  to  Lancaster  and  he  took  them.  "Sweet  to  meet 
good  old  father.  He  is  failing.  Eighty  years  old  now;  looks 
for  the  sunset."  The  month  he  took  up  his  pen  in  Chambers- 
burg he  wrote  to  Rust: 

My  dear  father  is  getting  old.  I  remember  when  he  was  an 
active,  nimble  man.  Now  he  walks  with  a  tottering  step,  speaks 
and  sings  of  heaven  with  the  simplicity  of  a  child.  Thinks  his 
evening  at  hand,  when  he  will  go  home  to  rest.  Thank  God  for 
such  a  father,  and  for  a  mother  in  heaven.  O  the  emptiness 
and  vanity  of  earth  when  contrasted  with  the  simple  godliness 
of  childlike  faith.  My  father  has  no  theological  trouble.  He 
leans  on  Jesus  like  a  child  in  its  mother's  arms.  Every  evening 
he  sings:  "Soil  diese  Nacht  die  letzte  sein,"  as  if  he  looked  for 
the  coming  of  the  Bridegroom  every  night.  Well,  he  will  go 
home  some  of  these  days.  The  Lord  cheer  his  evening  of  life, 
and  lead  him  safely  over  the  Jordan.  You  see  I  am  getting  on 
an  old  subject.     My  heart  is  full  of  it  just  now.     I  feel  happiest 


166  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

when  I  leave  some  of  it  out.  I  have  an  earnest  and  holy  desire 
to  do  all  I  can  for  the  Lord,  no  matter  where  or  what  it  will 
bring  me  to. 

B.  Bausman. 

His  father  died  November  20,  1861,  and  the  event  called  out 
several  very  tender  letters  to  his  brother  Philip:  "I  thought  how 
lonesome  you  would  feel  these  long  cold  winter  evenings  as  you 
missed  the  dear  old  man,  who  heretofore  always  formed  a  prom- 
inent figure  in  your  circles  and  how  only  a  few  lines  from  me 
might  help  to  cheer  your  dreariness." 

Later  this: 

Elder  Leonard  was  here  last  week  and  told  me  that  he  had 
seen  some  of  you  not  long  ago.  I  am  very  glad  that  A.  gave 
him  a  subscription  and  J.  too  gave  him  a  good  subscription. 

After  all,  we  as  a  family  ought  to  do  more  than  we  have,  if 
we  want  to  imitate  the  good  examples  of  our  dear  parents.  They 
gave  so  liberally  and  cheerfully  to  the  Lord's  cause.  Of  course, 
there  is  reason  in  everything;  but  our  reasons  need  to  be  liber- 
ahzed  and  enlightened  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  was  hard  at  me, 
but  my  conscience  tells  me  that  I  have  done  my  share.  This 
coming  spring  I  want  to  pay  off  $500,  that  I  subscribed  to  the 
Seminary  some  years  ago.  Besides  this  I  gave  $50  to  the  Ter- 
centenary subscription. 

In  the  following  April  he  made  the  record:  "In  a  little  over 
seven  months,  seven  of  our  nearest  relatives  died."  Among 
them  the  wife  of  a  brother,  after  whose  funeral  he  wrote  in  his 
diary:  "Mr.  Buchanan  was  present — stood  several  minutes  at 
the  coffin,  with  uncovered  head,  breathing  tremblingly  as  he 
scanned  her  features — to  me  a  moving  sight — a  hoary  ex-presi- 
dent, after  enjoying  the  highest  honors  of  the  nation,  moved  in 
meditation  over  the  common  lot  of  mortals." 

The  reasons  for  Mr.  Bausman's  resigning  the  chief  editorship 
of  the  Messenger  were  stated  in  the  previous  chapter.  The 
way  was  happily  and  promptly  opened  for  his  reentering  the 
pastorate.  The  Reformed  Church  of  Chambersburg  became 
vacant  in  April,  1861,  by  the  resignation  of  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Phillips.  A  call  extended  soon  thereafter  to  another  minister 
was  declined.  The  congregation  knowing  Mr.  Bausman  so  well 
and  so  favorably  and  being  aware  of  his  inclinations  to  accept 


ZION'S   REFORMED  CHURCH.  CHAMBERSBURG 


CHAMBERSBURG  167 

a  charge,  turned  strongly  toward  him.  His  consent  was  secured 
to  supply  the  vacancy  and  "as  may  well  be  imagined,"  says  Mr. 
Foltz,  "his  own  election  to  the  regular  pastorate  became  the 
inevitable."  Immediately  after  Synod's  acceptance  of  Mr. 
Bausman's  resignation  as  editor,  the  congregation  nominated 
him  for  the  pastorate  and  on  October  16,  1861,  he  was  duly 
elected.  The  venerable  secretary  of  the  consistory,  Wm.  Heyser, 
in  reporting  the  result  to  Mr.  Bausman  observed:  "Your  call  to 
this  congregation  has  been  the  only  one,  since  my  recollection, 
that  has  been  without  a  dissenting  vote."  On  the  Sunday  be- 
fore Christmas  he  was  installed  by  Dr.  Schaff,  and  the  Revs.  T. 
G.  Apple  and  John  Ault.  His  introductory  sermon  was  preached 
on  the  last  Sunday  of  the  year,  from  Acts  10:  29  and  33,  and  it 
is  a  rriasterpiece  on  the  mutual  duties  of  pastor  and  people, 
throbbing  with  an  ardent  love  for  souls  and  marked  with  a  fine 
appreciation  of  the  dignity  of  the  pastoral  office. 

Mr.  Bausman's  reentrance  upon  the  pastorate  gave  him  a 
joy  and  satisfaction  as  of  one  who  came  again  to  his  native  ele- 
ment, and  he  strove  and  prayed  to  be  equipped  for  the  highest 
possible  usefulness.  The  night  before  his  introductory  sermon 
he  wrote: 

Finished  Alexander's  "Thoughts  on  Preaching."  Have  felt  sur- 
prised how  many  difficulties  and  weaknesses  I  have  in  common 
with  him.  The  book  has  done  me  much  good  and  refixed  my 
attention  upon  the  great  aim  of  my  life — the  glory  of  God  and 
the  salvation  of  souls.  By  the  help  of  God,  I  will  henceforth 
give  more  time  and  labor  to  the  study  of  the  Bible  than  hereto- 
fore. 

He  made  notes  on  his  work  like  these: 

Beautiful  spring  day.  Never  enjoyed  preaching  so  much  as 
since  I  commenced  here.     It  is  a  real  pleasure.     God  be  praised! 

I  get  along  pretty  well  in  my  congregation.  Never  preached 
to  such  large  congregations  before. 

The  temper  of  his  mind  shows  itself  in  a  few  extracts  from  his 
letter  to  Leinbach: 

January  2,  1863. 
My  dear  Charlie, 

Yes,   1863  we  must  now  write.     Will  seem  awkward  for  a 


168  THE   LIFE    OP   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

while,  and  it  ought  to.  These  years  do  fly  away  with  incredible 
rapidity. 

Every  year  I  feel  more  earnest  in  the  ministry;  feel  more  con- 
cerned for  poor  souls.  Sometimes  I  feel  as  if  I  ought  to  stop 
people  on  the  street  and  entreat  them  to  make  their  peace  with 
God.  Feel  more  than  ever  that  I  must  give  all  my  strength  to 
Him  who  bought  me  with  His  blood.  Have  now  been  ten  years 
in  the  ministry — nearly  two  of  these  have  been  lost  in  wandering 
over  the  earth.  Perhaps  not  lost  either,  I  have  tried  to  work 
faithfully,  and  yet  can  not  see  much  fruit  of  my  labors,  in  the 
way  of  additions  to  the  Church.  Perhaps  it  is  pride  that  de- 
sires a  growth  of  numbers.  Sometimes  perhaps  our  flocks  grow 
most  substantially  when  they  do  not  increase  in  numbers.  With 
all  its  trials,  I  enjoy  the  ministry,  and  feel  every  day  of  my  life 
like  thanking  God,  that  he  has  led  me  into  this  holy  office. 
Many  of  its  duties  seem  more  like  pleasant  pastimes  than  tasks. 
And  when  I  feel  weak  and  forsaken,  God  always  comes  so  sweetly 
to  my  help.  I  can  say  without  a  figure,  that  the  best  friend  I 
have  ever  had,  the  most  constant  and  ready  helper,  is  my  Heaven- 
ly Father. 

This  talk  may  smack  of  Methodism,  but  I  feel  in  my  heart  of 
hearts  what  I  say  and  I  am  not  ashamed  to  acknowledge  it.  I 
am  trying  to  enter  upon  this  year  with  redoubled  vigor.  I 
shall  strive  to  pray  more,  to  repent  more  fervently,  to  work 
more  faithfully. 

The  views  of  the  congregation  touching  Mr.  Bausman  and  his 
work  are  expressed  by  Mr.  Foltz: 

The  people  were  overjoyed,  and  his  pastorate  placed  the  con- 
gregation, notwithstanding  the  exciting  days  of  the  war,  in 
the  enjoyment  of  one  of  the  most  hopeful  eras  of  its  existence. 
The  Lord's  day  and  mid-week  services  were  alike  largely  at- 
tended. The  first  duty  of  the  pew  committee  was  to  provide 
additional  sittings.  It  was  not  an  unusual  thing  to  see  the  audi- 
torium and  galleries  filled  with  worshippers.  The  Sunday-school 
grew  in  interest  and  numbers.  The  repetition  of  the  Apostles' 
Creed  and  Lord's  Prayer  was  introduced.  The  class  of  young 
people  attending  the  lectures  of  the  pastor  was  large. 

After  quoting  "laudatory  notes"  made  at  the  time  by  Elder 
Heyser  in  his  diary  on  the  beloved  pastor's  good  influence  and 
the  "great  confidence  felt  both  in  and  out  of  the  congregation  in 
his  piety  and  fidelity,"  Mr.  Foltz  proceeds: 


CHAMBERSBURG  169 

In  short, .  Dr.  Bausman  proved  himself  the  ideal  pastor  and 
Christian  gentleman.  His  whole  nature,  full  of  kindliness, 
found  expression  in  his  attitude  toward  everybody.  His  entire 
career  in  Chambersburg  was  marked  by  generous  acts  and 
priestly  devotion  to  duty.  He  charmed  all  by  his  amiability 
and  gentlemanly  bearing. 

Another  member  of  Zion's  Reformed  Church,  Chambersburg, 
after  reciting  her  "kindliest  and  most  appreciative  recollections 
of  him,"  exclaims:  "Blessed  is  the  memory  of  such  a  man,  the 
like  of  whom  we  do  not  often  see!" 

Dr.  John  C.  Bowman,  president  of  the  faculty  of  the  Theo- 
logical Seminary  at  Lancaster,  was  a  boy  in  the  Chambersburg 
congregation  when  Mr.  Bausman  was  pastor  and  says  in  a 
"Reminiscence:"  "It  was  a  brief  pastorate,  but  its  hallowed 
impression  lasts  to  this  day,  and  will  last  forever." 

The  Rev.  Wm.  I.  Stewart  of  Chicago  has  an  interesting 
memory : 

I  was  a  small  boy  when  Dr.  Bausman  was  my  pastor.  I  was 
devoted  to  him  because  he  took  an  interest  in  boys.  One  in- 
stance has  not  been  effaced  by  the  lapse  of  years.  I  was  sick 
with  rheumatism  and  he  visited  me.  The  tall  man  kneeled 
down  by  the  bedside  and  prayed  for  my  recovery.  When  he 
arose  he  put  his  hand  on  my  head  and  said,  "My  boy,  you  must 
pray  to  your  Heavenly  Father  also."  I  got  well  and  gave  his 
prayer  great  credit.  In  after  years,  I  visited  Reading  and  called 
to  see  him.  He  would  introduce  me  to  his  friends  as  one  of  his 
boys. 

Mr.  John  Wanamaker's  mother  was  a  member  and  he  says 
that  occasionally  he  "was  a  visitor  to  the  church  and  Sunday- 
school  when  Dr.  Bausman  was  pastor.  Dr.  Bausman,  I  knew 
as  a  most  lovable  and  interesting  man.  I  always  felt  better  for 
even  a  handshake  from  him,  and  from  all  I  heard  from  others 
about  him  I  formed  the  opinion  that  he  was  a  fine  preacher  and 
an  excellent  pastor." 

The  Church's  recognition  of  Benjamin  Bausman's  pastoral 
efiiciency  was  shown  in  the  request  of  Dr.  Harbaugh,  Chairman 
of  the  Tercentenary  Committee,  that  he  prepare  an  article  on 
"The  History  of  Catechization  and  its  best  Methods"  for  the 


170  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

300th  anniversary  celebration  of  the  Heidelberg  Catechism. 
Turning  to  his  diary  of  the  period  one  is  struck,  on  reading,  a 
few  months  before  the  request,  how  he  discounted  his  own  ability 
in  that  direction;  yet  it  is  not  so  surprising  after  all  as  we  have 
come  to  know  his  almost  impossibly  high  ideals  and  his  humble 
estimate  of  his  own  powers. 

"Catechized.  Feel  a  painful  inefficiency  in  this  important 
exercise.  Feel  sometimes  distressed  lest  souls  might  be  lost  by 
my  meager  incapacity  to  catechize."  And  again:  "Terribly 
oppressed  before  catechetical  class  met  for  the  last  time,  feared 
I  had  not  done  my  duty  to  them." 

His  address  entitled  "Catechetics  and  Catechetical  Instruc- 
tion" was  read  on  the  last  evening  of  that  "sublime  festival 
service  to  God"  in  Philadelphia,  and  stands  as  a  monument  to 
his  masterful  grasp  of  a  much  neglected  subject.  His  was  the 
practical  climax  of  the  eighteen  notable  addresses  then  delivered 
and  it  was  his  further  privilege  to  interpret  for  the  Church  in  the 
columns  of  the  Messenger  the  practical  meaning  of  the  great 
historic  occasion.  The  editorial  is  found  in  the  issue  of  Feb- 
ruary 11,  1863,  and  is  a  literary  gem.  "Taking  the  Bearing" 
jS  the  title  and  its  object  is  to  help  the  Church 

to  advance  in  the  right  direction.  As  a  Church  we  should  not 
be  content  by  simply  ascertaining  our  relation,  historical  and 
theological,  to  other  Churches,  but  the  whole  Tercentenary  move- 
ment should  be  combined  into  a  mighty  impulse  to  advance  on 
our  heavenly  voyage.  Simply  to  ring  changes  on  our  historical 
standard,  excellent  as  it  is,  will  render  our  Tercentenary  Move- 
ment soulless  and  insipid.  Wiser  will  it  be  for  us  to  instruct 
our  people  more  diligently  in  its  doctrines,  to  stir  them  up  to 
give  practical  aid  in  propelling  the  ship. 

Returning  to  Chambersburg,  he  wrote  to  Steiner:  "As  I  an- 
ticipated, the  reaction  has  come  upon  me  with  stunning  effect." 
He  had  prepared  his  essay  amid  the  pressure  of  many  duties 
and  interruptions  just  before  the  convention.  Dr.  E.  R.  Esch- 
bach,  who  was  entertained  with  him  in  Philadelphia  at  the  home 
of  Dr.  Wm.  Mayburry,  said  he  was  overwrought,  nervous  and 
irritable.  His  thirty-ninth  birthday  anniversary  meditation 
showed  the  somber  side:   "How  fast  my  life  rolls  on!     Soon  will 


CHAMBERSBURG  171 

reach  life's  decline."  He  was  one  of  the  youngest  on  the  Ter- 
centenary program  and  in  spite  of  fears  outlived  all  the  others. 

"Catechetics  and  Catechetical  Instruction"  was  published 
with  the  other  addresses  of  the  convention  in  the  Tercentenary 
Monument.  Thirteen  of  the  papers  were  by  American  writers 
and  Dr.  Bausman's  is  one  of  the  few  to  receive  the  unqualified 
commendation  of  Dr.  James  I.  Good,  who  says  it  "was  prac- 
tical and  excellent,  especially  in  his  description  of  its  methods," 
"but  the  others  aimed  to  glorify  Mercersburg  Theology."  It  was 
a  tribute  to  the  high  scholarly  merit  of  Dr.  Bausman's  essay 
that  it  was  translated  into  German  and  published  in  the 
Studien  und  Kritiken. 

In  the  "Jubilee  Address"  in  1903,  Dr.  Bausman  spoke  of  what 
led  him  to  come  to  Reading  and  referred  to  the 

two  years'  pastorate  in  Chambersburg :  a  delightful  field  to 
serve;  not  without  its  difficulties  especially  during  the  Civil 
War;  with  an  eldership  proverbial  in  the  town  for  their  exalted 
personal  excellence  and  official  fidelity.  I  labored  with  comfort, 
acceptance  and  the  blessing  of  God.  Why  not  be  contented 
there?  I  was  until  God  began  to  stir  me  up  in  my  nest.  With- 
in less  than  five  months,  I  received  three  calls,  one  to  become 
pastor  of  the  First  Reformed  Church,  Tiffin,  Ohio;  a  second  call 
was  to  the  Presidency  of  Heidelberg  College,  now  Heidelberg 
University,  Tiffin,  Ohio;  the  third  was  a  call  to  the  First  Re- 
formed Church  of  this  city.  I  had  refused  the  first  two  calls 
before  the  third  one  came;  and  for  me  this  would  have  seemed 
the  least  inviting.  With  my  impaired  health,  every  dictate  of 
common  sense  and  reason  advised  against  it.  Why  then  did  I 
come?  I  cannot  explain  my  motives.  A  certain  inward  impulse 
and  undefinable  sense  of  duty,  a  grooving  trend  of  conscience 
that  would  not  be  silenced;  at  last  indeed  an  irrepressible  desire 
led  me  to  come  to  Reading,  not  knowing  what  awaited  me. 

What  was  equivalent  to  a  fourth  call  during  the  five  months 
above  referred  to  came  from  the  Consistory  of  the  First  Reformed 
Church  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  in  June. 

You  are  the  only  man  knowTi  at  present  upon  whom  both 
Consistory  and  congregation  can  unite  and  we  will  give  you  not 
only  a  unanimous,  but  a  most  hearty  call  if  you  will  give  us  any 
encouragement. 

All  eyes  and  hearts  are  turned  longingly  toward  you.     We 


172  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

earnestly  pray  God  that  He  may  turn  your  heart  toward  the 
great  West. 

He  had  visited  Dayton  three  years  before  and  soon  thereafter 
had  been  elected  and  called  by  the  congregation  which  now  made 
another  attempt  to  get  him. 

His  point  of  view  at  this  period  appears  in  a  letter  to  Rust: 

Chambersburg,  March  30,  1863. 
My  Dear  Herman: 

I  received  your  letter,  and  read  it  repeatedly.  Also  Dr.  Kief- 
fer's;  also  the  call  from  the  Tiffin  congregation.  I  have  to  thank 
you  and  brother  Kieffer  for  having  the  perplexing  case  of  duty 
thrust  upon  me.  No  question  of  the  kind  can  be  lightly  set 
aside.  I  have  thought  and  prayed  over  it  much.  I  know  how 
well  you  mean  it  with  myself  and  our  dear  Reformed  Zion.  Your 
warm  heart  has  been  bent  for  ten  years  past  to  get  me  out  West. 
Had  I  followed  your  entreaties  and  gone  to  Cincinnati  some 
years  ago,  we  would  not  be  together  after  all  now.  Should  I 
follow  your  wishes  now,  five  years  hence  one  or  the  other  of  us 
might  be  called  to  another  field  or  to  heaven.  I  never  wrote  to 
you  or  to  brother  Kieffer  before  the  call  came,  because  I  felt 
awkward  in  doing  so.  After  all,  it  might  not  come,  would  not 
be  likely  to  come.  Would  the  congregation  be  so  foolish  as  to 
call  a  man  whom  they  had  never  seen,  nor  heard  preach?  I  did 
feel  like  writing  and  begging  you  both  to  withdraw  my  name,  to 
prevent  a  probable  disappointment.  I  don't  know  a  single 
member  of  that  church,  nor  they  me.  "Unanimously  elected!" 
That  may  mean  that  twenty  persons  out  of  150  attended  the 
election  and  voted.  The  others  may  be  for  or  against.  Four 
elders  have  signed  the  call,  and  two  deacons.  Only  two  deacons 
in  the  Church?  But  all  these  are  small  matters  if  everything 
else  were  right. 

I  suppose  I  might  get  away  from  here.  Yet  they  tell  me  that 
every  man,  woman  and  child  cleave  to  me,  and  talk  much  of  my 
increasing  usefulness,  and  the  shock  which  a  congregation  re- 
ceives by  changing  pastors,  just  as  one  gets  properly  into  the 
harness.  I  objected  to  taking  this  congregation,  because  there 
would  be  no  need  for  my  German  here.  We  have  many  Enghsh 
brethren  who  are  kept  out  of  useful  charges,  some  without  fields 
altogether,  because  they  cannot  speak  German.  We  are  beginning 
to  have  trouble  in  supplying  charges  requiring  English  and  Ger- 
man, and  have  scarcely  enough  exclusively  English  charges  to 
furnish  our  English  speaking  brethren  with  fields  of  labor.  For 
this  reason  I  think  the  German  speaking  brethren  ought  to  labor 


CHAMBERSBURG  173 

where  there  is  German  required.  Our  mixed  charges  are  rapidly 
increasing,  especially  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  state.  We 
must  supply  them  well,  or  the  Church  will  suffer  serious  damage. 
For  this  reason  I  still  feel  it  my  duty,  if  I  change  again,  to  go 
where  there  is  some  German  needed. 

You  use  very  strong  language.  Can't  you  get  along  without 
me?  I  question  whether  the  existence  of  the  Western  Church 
depends  upon  such  a  frail  mortal.  You  speak  of  a  certain  con- 
templated relation  to  the  Seminary.  But  you  had  just  proved 
that  no  such  mixed  relation  of  pastor  and  professor  is  practicable. 
I  regret  that  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  argue  the  case  with  you  in  this 
style.  I  fear  you  will  get  excited,  or  perhaps  even  ruffled  at  me. 
But — "Friends,  Romans,  countrymen,  hear  me  for  my  cause, 
etc."     You  know  the  rest. 

Herman,  you  cannot  desire  our  being  brought  nearer  together 
more  than  I  do.  But  when  the  desire  conflicts  with  a  sense  of 
duty,  we  must  deny  ourselves  the  pleasure.  I  have  not  formally 
declined  the  call;  may  keep  it  under  consideration  a  week  or  so 
longer,  for  I  desire  to  decide  as  I  thinlc  the  Lord  wishes  me  to  do. 
But  my  feelings  now  are  that  I  shall  have  to  decline  it. 

You  dear  fellow,  I  know,  want  to  do  good.  And  how  kind  in 
offering  me  a  home  in  your  dear  family.  All  that  would  doubt- 
less make  me  more  comfortable  than  I  can  be  here  or  elsewhere. 
Brother  Kieffer  hinted  about  a  $500  gift  for  your  German  pro- 
fessorship. I  am  trying  this  week  to  pay  off  a  $500  subscription  to 
our  Seminary.  I  need  not  tell  you  that  another  $500  just  now 
is  more  than  I  can  command.  Greet  Mrs.  R.,  John  Benjamin, 
and  the  other  cherubs  of  your  hearth,  for  me.  Be  calm,  be  sober, 
believe  me  that  I,  at  least,  try  to  do  right.     God  help  me! 

Your  Brother, 

B.  Bausman. 

The  election  to  the  presidency  of  Heidelberg  College  was  at 
the  annual  meeting  of  its  Board  of  Trustees  in  June,  1863. 

"It  was  unanimous,  not  alone  on  the  part  of  those  entitled  to 
vote  as  Trustees,  but  also  on  the  part  of  the  ministry  and  laity 
of  the  Church  so  far  as  I  have  heard.  The  West  wishes  you 
this  year  to  make  a  Tercentenary  offering  of  yourself  to  the  Col- 
lege." Thus  wrote  Dr.  Jeremiah  H.  Good,  Secretary  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees.  The  reasons  offered  by  Mr.  Bausman  for  declining 
the  college  presidency  are  evident  from  the  arguments  used  to 
meet  them. 

Dr.  Good  averred: 


174  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

Our  judgment  that  you  were  the  most  suitable  man  within 
the  circle  of  our  vision  was  based  on  the  following  considerations : 
your  regular  education  and  scholarship;  your  ten  years'  experi- 
ence in  the  ministry;  your  disposition,  fitting  you  to  be  the  ami- 
able head  of  an  institution;  your  varied  experience  and  culture 
resulting  therefrom  as  pastor,  traveller  and  editor;  your  age, 
being  young  and  plastic  enough  to  accommodate  yourself  to  new 
labors,  circumstances,  etc.,  etc. 

There  is  no  class  of  men  in  our  Church,  who  are  specially  fitted 
out,  by  the  Church  or  by  themselves  for  the  ofiice  of  a  professor. 

The  qualifications  that  make  up  a  successful  pastor  are  pre- 
cisely those  needed  for  a  president  of  a  college. 

After  the  declination  Rust  wrote: 

This  is  an  unexpected  and  sad  occurrence  to  me,  to  all  the 
board,  and  to  the  Western  Church  in  general.  I  regret  it.  I  re- 
gret it  deeply.     I  shall  regret  it  all  my  lifetime. 

You  say  that  you  have  no  taste  for  teaching,  and  intimate 
also  that  you  lack  the  requisite  qualifications  for  this  post.  I 
felt  so  too,  and  feel  so  still,  but,  nevertheless,  you  and  many 
others  urged  me  by  all  means  not  to  decline,  but  to  come,  and 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord  do  what  I  can.  The  very  fact  that 
you  know  what  is  required  goes  fa.r  to  prove  your  fitness  for  the 
post;  and  as  regards  your  qualifications,  it  was  the  unanimous 
conviction  that  there  is  not  a  better  qualified  man  in  all  the 
Church.  If  you  are  not  qualified,  then  I  do  not  know  who  is. 
As  regards  the  governing  part,  I,  and  all  the  rest  of  the  Pro- 
fessors, feel  confident  that  your  upright  Christian  character  and 
daily  walk  and  conversation  would  have  done  more  in  the  govern- 
ing of  the  students  than  all  our  disciplinarian  rules;  more  real 
benefit  than  all  talk  and  chastisement.  If  you  are  not  fit,  please 
tell  me  where  there  is  a  man  in  all  our  Church,  East  and  West, 
that  would  suit  this  station. 

Rust's  feelings  on  these  repeated  declinations  appear  from  a 
letter  more  than  six  months  later: 

I  may  just  as  well  confess  openly  and  frankly  that  I  felt  dis- 
appointed at  your  refusal  to  come  West,  and  was  consequently 
somewhat  displeased  with  your  action,  which  caused  me  to  feel 
sore  for  a  long  time.  My  heart  had  been  longing  for  you  so 
long  and  so  ardently  that  I  was  sure  you  would  follow  the  di- 
rection of  Providence  this  way.  Hence,  when  this  last  hope  of 
our  living  and  laboring  together  was  frustrated  by  your  decline, 
I  went  into  my  study  and  wept  bitterly,  and  I  have  to  weep  even 
now  at  the  thought. 


CHAMBERSBURG  175 

In  the  above  letters  to  and  from  Rust,  it  has  been  gathered 
that  he  left  the  pastorate  in  Cincinnati  and  was  teaching  at 
Tiffin,  Ohio.  He  had  been  elected  by  Ohio  Synod  to  the  pro- 
fessorship of  Church  History  and  the  History  of  Christian  Doc- 
trine in  the  Seminary.  He  began  what  proved  to  be  his  life 
work  in  Tiffin  in  the  autumn  of  1862.  In  connection  with  his 
chair  in  the  Seminary,  he  held  also  for  some  years  in  the  College 
the  professorship  of  German  Language  and  Literature.  In 
June,  1862,  Rust  had  "asked  the  advice"  of  Bausman  regarding 
his  going  to  Tiffin,  and  promptly  came  a  letter  in  reply  which 
strongly  influenced  him.     Extracts  from  it  follow: 

I  fear  the  Lord  has  a  hand  in  the  trouble  which  your  Synod 
has  made  you.  I  have  suspected  it  would  come  to  this  yet. 
And  with  all  your  misgivings  about  your  fitness  (which  are  com- 
mendable) you  have  too  good  a  judgment  not  to  see  a  great 
deal  of  ground  for  the  choice  of  Synod. 

Hitherto,  your  line  of  study  has  been  chiefly  in  the  pastoral 
direction;  but  even  this  will  be  of  incalculable  benefit  to  you. 
For  I  believe  that  a  certain  amount  of  pastoral  experience  is  in- 
dispensable to  make  a  good  theological  professor.  The  Alex- 
anders, father  and  sons,  who  were  among  the  most  successful 
theological  professors  our  country  has  produced,  passed  through 
a  preparatory  course  of  pastoral  labor.  If  you  accept  the  office, 
you  will  at  once  direct  your  studies  into  a  new  channel,  having 
a  more  immediate  bearing  upon  your  professorial  duties.  These' 
studies  will  soon  give  you  confidence  in  yourself,  and,  I  have  not 
the  remotest  doubt,  an  adequate  fitness  for  your  post.  When 
I  first  took  hold  of  the  Messenger,  I  felt  as  incompetent  as  any 
man  well  could,  but  a  close  application  to  studies  which  had  a 
direct  reference  to  my  new  duties  soon  enabled  me  to  feel  at 
home. 

It  is  high  time  that  the  Tiffin  Professorship  should  be  filled. 
The  long  delay  of  this  matter  has  well  nigh  crippled  the  institu- 
tion. It  is  useless,  chimerical  to  look  beyond  the  sea  for  a  man. 
Few  men  would  suit,  and  those  that  would,  would  require  years 
to  become  acclimated  to  our  American  ecclesiastical  latitude. 
And  I  am  sincere  when  I  say  that  of  the  different  persons  in  this 
country  who  have  been  named  in  connection  with  that  post, 
none  would  in  all  respects  suit  as  well  as  you.  We  have  had  able 
men  at  Mercersburg,  especially  Nevin  and  Schaff,  and  yet  I  now 
feel,  I  have  always  felt,  that  they  lived  so  exclusively  in  the 
sphere  of  the  intellect  as  to  have  too  little  influence  upon  the 


176  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

hearts  and  piety  of  their  students.  We  need  more  of  the  fire  of 
evangelical  zeal  in  our  Seminaries  and  Colleges — more  atten- 
tion to  practical  piety — such  as  they  have  at  Basel  and  elsewhere. 
We  must  have  ten  or  a  dozen  unemployed  men  here  in  the  East, 
who  stand  idle  just  because  they  can  not  get  places  to  suit  their 
fancy.  Our  young  men  shrink  from  the  trifling  trials  of  home 
missionary  labor,  and  our  Seminaries  have  never  raised  a  single 
hero  for  the  foreign  field.  There  is  an  evident  lack  of  self-sacrific- 
ing devotion  to  the  Cross  of  Christ  among  our  Seminary  gradu- 
ates. Instead  of  feeding  their  zeal  and  filling  them  with  a  godly 
enthusiasm  during  the  course  of  study,  they  often  lose  what 
they  bring  there  from  their  homes.  Now  Herman,  for  ten  or 
twelve  years  you  have  studied  the  theology  of  the  human  heart 
in  Cincinnati.  Your  field  was  more  instructive  to  you  than 
any  university  course  could  have  been.  You  have  battled  the 
devil  in  many  an  earnest  conflict.  God  has  been  with  you,  and 
your  very  trials  have  brought  His  Spirit  upon  you  in  large  meas- 
ures. And  for  this  reason  you  have  an  unction  from  the  Holy 
One  which  I  question  whether  all  our  professors  have,  at  least 
not  in  the  same  measure.  Therefore,  Herman,  I  say  in  the  name 
of  the  Great  God,  and  of  his  Son,  your  Saviour  and  mine,  go  to 
Tiffin.  Throw  your  whole  soul  into  that  institution,  and  help 
to  train  up  a  valiant  band  of  men  for  our  Zion  in  the  Mississippi 
Valley.  Try  and  infuse  into  them  the  life  of  a  healthy  German 
piety,  alike  free  from  fanaticism  and  Reformed  Episcopalianism. 

I  have  given  you  my  frank  opinion.  If  I  am  in  error,  my  heart 
means  it  well.  You  and  I  can  not  always  live  and  labor  here. 
Let  us  do  the  most  we  can  while  our  short  life  lasts.  And  though 
hard  work  and  anxiety  for  souls  bring  us  to  an  early  grave,  such 
a  death  would  receive  a  martyr  crown,  such  an  end  would  be 
dying  with  Christ  and  if  we  die  with  Him,  we  shall  also  rise  with 
Him.  In  heaven  is  rest.  Here  states  and  mountains  part  us. 
In  heaven  we  will  live  in  the  same  city,  belong  to  the  same  con- 
gregation, sit  around  the  same  table,  sing  one  eternal  hymn  of 
praise — meet  where  there  is  no  parting.  Tears  stream  down 
my  cheeks  as  these  beatific  thoughts  drop  from  my  pen. 

Greet  Mrs.  Rust,  Johannes  and  Caroline  for  me.  May  God 
direct  you,  my  dear  Herman,  in  the  way  He  desires  you  to  walk, 
and  fit  you  for  eminent  usefulness  in  life,  and  for  joy  eternal  in 
heaven. 

Yours  in  Christ, 

B.  Bausman. 

On  his  way  to  Atlantic  City,  Mr.  Bausman  went  to  Reading 
and  preached  in  the  First  Church,  the  first  Sunday  of  August, 


CHAMBERSBURG  177 

1863.  On  the  10th  of  August,  he  was  elected  pastor  and  the  call 
was  extended.  On  his  return  from  his  vacation  he  was  bombarded 
with  letters  from  leaders  of  the  Church,  prevailing  on  him  to 
accept. 

Dr.  E.  V.  Gerhart,  then  President  of  Franklin  and  Marshall 
College,  through  whose  suggestion  Mr.  Bausman's  name  was 
first  brought  before  the  Reading  people,  said  regarding  that 
place : 

I  know  of  no  city  in  Pennsylvania  where  the  prospect  of  rapid 
growth  is  so  cheering.  In  Reading  the  German  Reformed  Church 
may  become  more  influential  relatively  than  in  any  town  or  city 
of  which  I  have  any  knowledge. 

After  much  prayerful  reflection,  I  believe  that  in  point  of  age, 
experience,  judgment  and  language,  you  are  one  of  comparatively 
few  men  who  are  adapted  to  the  demands  at  Reading. 

There  was  dissension  in  the  Reading  congregation  at  that 
time  and  Dr.  J.  H.  A.  Bomberger  wrote:  "Happily  and  with 
unexpected  unanimity,  you  have  been  chosen  to  the  place. 
Should  you  decline  and  thus  throw  the  whole  question  open 
again,  I  feel  persuaded  that  the  congregation  would  have  troubles 
which  years  might  not  allay." 

A  committee  of  five  came  to  Chambersburg  with  the  call  and 
interviewed  Mr.  Bausman.  On  September  2nd,  he  presented 
his  resignation  to  the  Consistory  of  the  Chambersburg  congrega- 
tion against  their  unamimous  protest.  "Consented  to  postpone 
action  for  a  short  time.  Daily  the  members  are  entreating  me 
not  to  go." 

Other  diary  entries  are: 

September  9 — Prayer-meeting.  Prayed  that  God  would  show 
me  and  my  people  our  duty  and  give  us  grace  to  perform  it, 
which  seems  to  have  grieved  some. 

September  11 — Great  lamentation  about  my  leaving.  A  re- 
monstrance with  200  signers  was  presented  to  me.  Poor  souls 
weep  and  I  weep  with  them  and  yet  duty  says,  "Go" — How  dare 
I  refuse? 

September  12 — Pressed  my  resignation  before  the  Consistory. 
They  refused  to  receive  it. 

October  1 — Special  meeting  of  Mercersburg  Classis,  to  dissolve 
my  connection  here  as  pastor.  Large  attendance.  Two  ses- 
12 


178  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAIJSMAN 

sions,  morning  and  afternoon.  Rev.  C.  F.  McCauley  and  Elder 
Boas  represented  Reading  and  Elders  Wolff  and  Heyser  this  con- 
gregation. Many  warm  speeches  were  made.  When  it  came 
towards  the  close,  members  of  the  church  present  wept. 
Though  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  go,  had  to  weep  when  my  request 
was  granted.  Tried  to  make  a  parting  speech  to  Classis  but 
was  too   full. 

It  is  almost  pathetic  to  see  how  the  various  interests  of  the 
Church  looked  to  Mr.  Bausman,  begging  for  his  leadership. 
The  appreciation  shown  him  would  seem  fulsome,  did  one  not 
know  of  the  utter  sincerity  of  it  and  the  repeated  evidence  of  the 
complete  confidence  reposed  in  him  by  all  tendencies  and  sec- 
tions of  the  Church.  Fifty  years  later  younger  ministers  were 
sometimes  puzzled  to  account  for  the  reverential  regard  imme- 
diately elicited  by  the  simple  mentioning  of  Dr.  Bausman's 
name.  We  already  see  a  partial  explanation  of  this  in  the  events 
which  have  just  been  narrated. 


CHAPTER  IX 


Civil  War  Experiences 

NEXT  in  educative  importance  to  his  observations  and  ex- 
periences abroad  were  those  that  came  unsought  to  Mr. 
Bausman  through  the  Civil  War.  It  is  beautiful  and  touching 
to  note  how  he  bore  the  country's  burdens  on  his  heart.  Look- 
ing back  upon  them  after  four  decades  he  said  in  his  "Jubilee 
Address:" 

I  learned  much  from  the  hard  and  heroic  side  of  war  while  at 
Chambersburg.  The  place  was  all  along  a  great  military  camp; 
a  thoroughfare  over  which  our  northern  and  western  soldiers 
passed  southward.  The  guns  of  the  two  great  battles  of  Antietam 
and  Gettysburg  were  distinctly  heard  in  our  streets.  Our  public 
buildings  were  crowded  with  the  wounded  and  the  dying.  To 
such  I  often  ministered ;  into  my  heart  they  poured  the  sad  stories 
of  their  homes,  of  mothers,  wives  and  children,  for  whom  they 
dictated  letters  to  me.  Many  a  little  funeral  procession  I  at- 
tended to  the  cemetery,  whither  we  bore  the  mangled  remains  of 
the  fallen  heroes,  where  my  burial  service  was  emphasized  by  the 
salutes  fired  over  sleeping  comrades,  by  the  soldiers  who  with 
tattered  flag  and  muffled  drum  led  the  procession.  A  touching, 
impressive  scene  it  was  to  us  all — a  lesson  of  our  own  mortality  and 
of  patriotic  devotion;  for  thus, 

"  Our  hearts,  tho'  stout  and  brave, 

Still,  like  muffled  drums,  are  beating 
Funeral  marches  to  the  grave." 

The  national  distress  at  that  time  reached  out  for  the  minis- 
trations of  Christianity.  Amid  the  alternations  of  defeats  and 
victories  the  government  appointed  special  days — now  for  humi- 
liation and  prayer,  then  for  thanksgiving.  Crushing  defeats  and 
disasters  brought  the  nation  to  its  knees;  victories  filled  our 
churches  with  hymns  of  joyful  praise.  At  every  service  there 
were  anxious,  bleeding  hearts,  whose  dear  ones  were  pining  away 
in  southern  prisons  or  hospitals  or  buried  in  unknown  graves. 

179 


180  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

The  sorrows  of  my  country  sighed  through  my  own  soul  and  found 
vent  through  my  voice.  In  every  sermon  there  was  an  undertone 
of  sadness,  every  prayer  breathed  a  sigh  for  broken  hearts.  All 
this  was  a  discipline  of  patriotism  and  piety  and  made  the  dear 
old  flag  infinitely  precious  to  me.  I  thank  God  that  thus  the 
bleeding  anguish  of  my  dear  country  brought  me  a  blessing  and  a 
better  equipment  for  His  service. 

Much  of  what  Mr.  Bausman  saw  and  thought  and  felt  found 
its  way  at  once  through  his  pen  into  the  Messenger.  After  a 
decade,  the  story  was  amplified,  adorned  with  personal  incidents, 
mellowed  with  a  gracious  humor,  and  formed  the  interesting 
series  of  articles  of  which  Mr.  Foltz  speaks: 

A  noted  author  once  remarked  that  a  dozen  lines  from  a  writer's 
works  familiar  to  the  people  after  twenty  years,  constituted  liter- 
ary immortality.  The  eight  or  ten  chapters  of  Dr.  Bausman's 
"Reminiscences  of  the  War"  that  ran  through  the  Guardian  in 
1874,  were  in  a  like  sense  regarded  by  many  of  our  older  citizens 
and  descendants.  They  were  from  month  to  month  reproduced 
in  Public  Opinion,  of  which  the  writer  was  founder  and  editor, 
and  nothing  ever  appeared  in  its  columns  that  created  greater 
local  interest  and  general  demand  or  more  favorable  comment. 
The  chapters  were  illumined  by  the  good  Doctor's  peculiar  choice 
and  felicity  of  original  expression.  While  he  availed  himself  of 
all  the  picturesque  and  animating  movements  of  that  exciting 
period,  he  was  not  seduced  from  historical  accuracy  in  the  events 
he  described.  In  large  part  these  "Reminiscences"  are  an 
epitome  of  his  priestly  offices  whilst  the  beloved  pastor  of  our 
church  in  Chambersburg. 

They  begin  with  telling  of  John  Brown  and  his  sojourn  in 
Chambersburg  previous  to  his  raid  on  Harper's  Ferry  in  October, 
1859,  "who  harmlessly  walked  our  streets,  and  on  the  Lord's  day 
devoutly  sat  among  the  flock  to  whom  I  (afterwards)  ministered. 
No  one  knew  who  he  was,  whence  he  came,  or  whither  he  was 
going." 

During  the  winter  and  spring  of  1860-61,  the  country  showed 
symptoms  of  war,  and  in  a  short  time  Chambersburg  was  filled 
with  the  Boys  in  Blue,  15,000  to  20,000,  and  the  town  was  trans- 
formed into  a  busy,  bustling  garrison.  Many  of  them  flocked  to 
our  places  of  worship  on  Sunday  and  engaged  in  them  with  de- 
vout reverence.  On  a  certain  Lord's  day,  Dr.  Kennedy  —  a 
blind  clergyman — preached  in  our  church,  at  the  time  without  a 
pastor,  and  it  fell  to  the  lot  of  Dr.  Bausman  to  assist  in  the  serv- 
ices, who  relates  this  incident: 


CIVIL   WAR   EXPERIENCES  181 

While  leading  the  congregation  in  prayer,  I  heard  a  singular 
noise.  I  could  not  tell  whence  it  came,  not  even  tell  for  certain 
whether  it  was  a  human  voice.  Naturally,  I  felt  greatly  em- 
barrassed, and  many  in  the  congregation  not  a  little  frightened. 
As  I  tried  to  proceed  with  the  duty  assigned  me,  the  mysterious 
sounds  again  startled  the  congregation.  This  time,  however, 
more  articulate  and  clearly  expressed.  "Attention" — "dress, 
men" — "attention" — sounded  from  the  rear  of  the  church,  as 
I  miserably  strove  to  pray.  For  a  moment  I  was  left  to  go  on, 
when  the  commanding  voice  of  the  officer  again  shouted — "At- 
tention!" and  I  concluded  the  prayer,  perhaps  with  irreverent 
haste,  for  it  was  utterly  impossible  to  get  along  further. 

Meanwhile,  one  of  the  deacons,  going  to  the  pew  of  the  officer, 
awakened  him  from  his  sleep  and  dreams  by  a  vigorous  shake  of 
the  arm.  Then  the  horrid  truth  flashed  on  the  poor  man's  mind. 
In  his  sleep  he  continued  his  drill  formula  of  the  previous  day. 
The  poor  officer  felt  deeply  chagrined  at  his  involuntary  breach 
of  order,  and  declared  that  he  would  never  again  enter  a  church 
in  Chambersburg. 

Mr.  Bausman  often  visited  the  near-by  camps;  his  clerical  duties 
sometimes  required  his  securing  a  pass  to  get  to  the  point  he 
would  serve  and  his  diary  is  a  running  commentary  on  the  local 
and  general  movements  of  the  war.  For  example  we  read  for 
July  3,  1862:  "Awful  news  from  Richmond.  That  McClellan  is 
driven  back  and  partly  cut  up  by  the  superior  numbers  of  the 
Rebel  army." 

And  four  days  later:  "Considerable  talk  about  my  sermon 
yesterday  morning.  Favorable  so  far  as  I  can  hear.  Have 
been  informally  requested  by  some  persons  to  give  it  for  publica- 
tion. Will  not  do  it."  The  text  was  Ps.  2:  11,  "Serve  the  Lord 
with  fear  and  rejoice  with  trembling." 

A  few  days  before  Antietam,  successive  notes  are:  "In- 
tense excitement;"  "excitement  increasing;"  "wild  with  pan- 
ic;" "wild  rumors  about  Rebels  coming — feel  calm." 

It  was  then  he  wrote  to  his  brother: 

Chambersburg,  Friday  evening,  September  12,  1862. 
Dear  Philip: 

As  the  reported  approach  of  the  Rebel  army  to  our  place  may 

have  alarmed  you  about  my  safety,  I  will  hastily  drop  a  few  lines 

to  quiet  your  fears.     The  last  news  says  the  nearest  Rebel  pickets 

are  about  sixteen  miles  from  here.     They  have  taken  possession 

f  Hagerstown,  which  is  twenty  miles  from  here. 


182  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

I  suppose  one-third  of  the  families  have  fled,  some  on  the  cars, 
some  in  carriages,  some  in  wagons.  Terrible  stories  have  been 
circulated,  how  the  Rebels  would  plunder  the  town  and  maltreat 
the  women.  Some  of  the  roads  in  the  country  are  lined  for 
miles  Avith  wagons.  Many  don't  know  where  they  are  going. 
If  the  Rebels  had  been  but  100  yards  off  the  crowds  of  women 
and  children  could  not  have  been  more  excited,  as  they  rushed 
into  the  trains  that  left  to-day. 

All  the  stores  and  business  places  are  closed,  and  the  men  are 
marching  the  streets  with  bayonets  to  defend  their  homes.  The 
doors  and  pavements  are  crowded  with  anxious  women  talking 
excitedly  about  the  last  news.  Brave  men  send  their  wives  and 
children  off  while  they  remain  to  meet  the  worst.  To  see  the 
weeping  of  women  and  children  as  they  thus  part  from  fathers 
and  husbands  is  enough  to  melt  the  hardest  heart.  The  poor, 
the  sick,  and  many  who  have  no  men  to  help  them  must  remain. 
I  am  doing  all  I  can  to  comfort  the  people.  I  suppose  half  of 
my  congregation  have  fled.  I  try  to  quiet  and  pacify  those  that 
remain.  My  post  of  duty  is  here  just  now.  By  the  grace  of 
God  I  will  say  a  few  earnest  words  to  my  few  people  that  remain, 
next  Sunday.  Such  a  scene  of  terror  and  excitement  as  the  last 
few  days  furnished,  I  have  never  witnessed  in  America.  Did  my 
pastoral  duties  allow  it,  I  would  this  evening  stand  on  guard 
with  a  musket  on  my  shoulder  or  gallop  the  streets  on  my  "Jack" 
in  defence  of  our  homes.  There  is  only  one  thing  that  will  drive 
me  out  of  town  if  the  Rebels  come.  It  is  reported  that  they  press 
Union  men  into  their  army.  '"Tis  sweet  to  die  for  one's  native 
land,"  and  if  the  blood  of  Christ  can  get  me  ready,  I  would  rather 
die  than  fight  in  the  Rebel  ranks.  That  I  will  not  do  so  long  as 
God  gives  me  power  to  refuse.  To  lift  my  hand  against  our  dear 
flag,  I  will  not  do.  Here  I  am.  Make  yourselves  easy  about  me. 
Don't  allow  yourselves  to  be  frightened  so  easily.  Pennsylvania 
is  in  a  panic  of  fright. 

These  are  earnest,  solemn  times,  in  which  we  need  prayer  and 
faith.  In  God  is  our  strength.  If  any  of  us  should  fall  in  the  con- 
flict, it  is  no  more  than  thousands  of  others  as  good  as  we  have 
done.  Only  let  us  watch  and  pray  that  we  be  found  at  our  posts. 
A  friend  sent  my  horse  in  his  two-horse  carriage  and  with  his 
family  across  the  mountain  this  morning  toward  Huntingdon, 
where  the  Rebels  can't  get  him.  My  valuable  papers  I  have  given 
to  Mrs.  Schneck,  who  will  leave  with  others,  in  a  carriage  for  a 
safer  place. 

The  Messenger,  for  the  first  time  in  its  history,  has  been  stopped 
— the  hands  are  marching  with  bayonets  for  their  country. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fisher  have  invited  me  to  a  seat  in  their  car- 


CIVIL   WAR   EXPERIENCES  183 

riage  for  Bedford,  in  case  there  is  absolute  danger  of  imprison- 
ment at  Richmond,  or  being  pressed  into  their  army.  The  way- 
things  look  now,  I  don't  think  we  will  be  likely  to  leave  soon. 
Thus,  dear  Philip,  matters  stand.  So  strange  does  it  seem  that 
I  can  hardly  believe  my  senses.  Let  us  be  men,  brave  men. 
You  brothers  have  wives  and  children.  Act  in  such  a  way  that 
your  children  need  not  be  ashamed  of  the  name  they  bear  when 
they  grow  up.  If  your  country  needs  your  life  and  you  can  give 
it,  do  it. 

Let  us  show  to  the  South,  and  to  the  world  that  our  strength, 
our  lives  and  our  sacred  honor  are  cheerfully  laid  on  the  altar  of 
our  dear,  dear  native  land.  O  God,  save  our  dear  country  and 
give  us  the  victory  over  our  enemies. 

I  pray  God  for  grace  not  to  desert  my  post  in  the  hour  of 
peril. 

Accompanied  by  Dr.  Schneck,  he  was  for  several  hours  an 
eye-witness  of  the  Antietam  battle  from  a  commanding  emi- 
nence. He  strolled  down  the  hill  toward  evening  and  away 
from  his  friend. 

Soon  trains  of  ambulances,  packed  with  the  wounded  and  dy- 
ing, began  to  bring  their  sorrowful  burdens  to  two  farm  houses. 
Where  should  they  lay  them?  Who  would  help  to  carry  them  to 
some  place  of  safety,  if  not  of  comfort?  The  most  of  the  am- 
bulances had  no  one  to  help  the  driver  in  his  painful  task. 

As  Mr.  Foltz  puts  it,  "with  heroic  greatness  of  soul  and  a 
quick  sense  of  the  wants  of  the  suffering,  to  see  duty  was  to  do 
it"  and  as  Mr.  Bausman  himself  relates: 

Somehow,  half-unconsciously,  before  I  knew  what  I  was  about, 
I  found  myself  at  the  head  of  an  army  hospital.  First,  I  helped 
the  drivers  of  the  ambulances  to  carry  the  wounded  into  the  barns 
and  barn-yards.  Being  short  of  help,  I  called  others  to  my  aid. 
An  officer  passing  along,  watching  me  for  a  moment,  said:  ''Will 
you  please,  sir,  and  for  the  present,  take  charge  of  this  hospital? 
You  see  how  these  men  are  suffering.  Call  others  to  your  aid, 
and  do  for  the  poor  fellows  what  you  can." 

The  famihes  had  fled  from  the  houses.  Their  stock  of  living 
was  exhausted.  No  one  to  give  a  candle,  lamp  or  lantern.  At 
length,  one  was  found,  the  work  of  relief  commenced,  and  the  cup 
of  water  was  given.  Soon  a  kettle  full  of  rice  soup  was  prepared. 
One  man  carries  the  kettle,  and  two  of  us,  each  with  a  tablespoon, 
deal  out  the  food.     Never  have  I  seen  men  more  thankful  for  a 


184  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

trifling  kindness.  The  kettle  soon  was  emptied.  As  the  kind 
lady  is  about  preparing  a  second  supply,  the  cruel  surgeon  for- 
bade the  comforting  act.  Alas,  but  one  surgeon  among  so 
manj^,  and  he  (in  addition)  unwilling  even  to  afford  his  trifling 
services.  During  the  twenty-four  hours  that  I  was  here,  I  did 
not  see  him  dress  a  wound.  Meanwhile,  the  tallow  candle  burns 
into  the  socket.  When  this  is  consumed  our  ministry  for  the 
night  must  cease.  The  groans  of  the  dying  appeal  to  us  for 
spiritual  consolation.  Here  and  there,  I  crouch  down  aside  of 
an  expiring  soldier:  I  whisper  a  few  verses  of  truth,  and  a  few 
words  of  advice,  a  short  prayer  into  the  ear  of  the  dying  and  his 
Saviour's  name;  tell  him  of  the  blood  shed  to  take  away  our  sin. 
The  tallow  candle  has  expired.  In  a  neighboring  house  I  tried 
vainly  to  get  a  few  hours  rest  on  a  carpeted  floor.  What  thoughts 
crowded  into  those  few,  sleepless  hours.  Over  100,000  warriors 
lay  scattered  over  these  surrounding  hills.  Ten  thousand  of 
them  bruised  and  mangled.  Is  it  a  wonder  that  sleep  deserts 
one's  pillow? 

An  errand  of  mercy  led  Mr.  Bausman  to  visit  the  battle-field 
very  soon  again.  He  brought  home  a  relic  which  caused  him 
no  little  annoyance.  As  he  dramatically  related  the  story  there- 
after from  time  to  time  to  friends,  "they  were  convulsed  with 
uncontrollable  laughter."  It  shows  moreover,  his  supersen- 
sitive concern  lest  he  might  be  instrumental  in  injuring  another. 
He  thus  relates  it: 

As  in  all  great  battles,  the  field  of  the  Antietam  engagement 
was  left  strewn  with  shot  and  shell,  and  with  the  arms  and 
valuables  of  the  defeated  and  the  dead.  IMuskets,  rifles,  the 
costly  swords  of  oflficers,  tempted  the  infirmities  of  the  relic-hunt- 
ing visitors.  Indeed,  it  was  hard  to  resist  the  desire  of  picking 
up  some  article  or  other,  and  preserving  it  as  a  memento  of  this 
historic  battle.  Among  the  numerous  large  shells  lying  about 
I  selected  one.  It  had  not  exploded,  and  therefore  was  a  per- 
fect article.  To  my  unmilitary  mind  it  seemed  very  harmless. 
True,  it  was  heavy,  weighing  ten  or  fifteen  pounds,  but  its  weight 
was  no  hindrance  to  its  transportation.  It  would  be  interesting 
to  show  to  one's  friends  long  after  this  cruel  war  would  be  over. 
I  took  it  along  home.  Of  course  then  the  most  of  us  were  in- 
nocently ignorant  of  the  contents  and  properties  of  a  shell. 
Surely,  it  could  hurt  no  one,  unless  when  hurled  from  the  mouth 
of  a  cannon.  I  laid  it  in  my  sleeping  chamber;  indeed,  to  get  it 
out  of  the  way,  laid  it  under  my  bed.     For  a  week  or  longer 


CIVIL   WAR   EXPERIENCES  185 

I  slept  as  soundly  as  usual  over  the  murderous  weapon.  By 
that  time  the  papers  brought]  us  the  most  startling  reports  of 
the  unaccountable  freaks  of  these  shells  in  the  several  counties 
south  of  us,  and  indeed  in  our  own  neighborhood.  A  farmer  was 
ploughing;  some  hidden  power  touched  by  his  plowshare  blew 
him  and  his  horses  to  pieces.  Many  other  accidents  of  a  similar 
nature  followed.  A  horse  or  wagon  butted  against  the  touchy 
end  of  the  shell,  and  that  put  an  end  to  the  horse  and  wagon, 
and  usually,  to  the  driver  too.  Two  little  boys,  near  Funkstown, 
Franklin  County,  felt  curious  about  the  contents  of  a  shell.  In 
trying  to  open  it  the  poor  fellows  were  battered  to  death.  The 
Bedouin  definition  of  a  revolver  is:  an  instrument  which,  once 
the  trigger  is  touched,  will  crack  away  and  kill  as  long  as  there 
is  a  mortal  within  reach.  Thus,  the  shells  of  both  armies  kept 
on  killing  people  after  the  soldiers  ceased  fighting.  It  was  said 
that  it  required  a  stroke  on  the  end  of  the  shell  to  make  it  explode, 
but  there  were  explosions  without  any  known  cause. 

One  morning  as  I  awoke,  the  thought  flashed  on  my  mind 
that  I  had  for  a  week  past  been  sleeping  over  one  of  these  ter- 
rific weapons,  corked  full  of  slaughter,  worse  than  a  keg  of  pow- 
der. Of  course,  I  slept  little  after  that.  What  if  some  night, 
it  should  take  a  freak  and  lift  one  out  of  bed  into  eternity!  Some- 
how my  mind,  not  easily  frightened,  refused  any  longer  calml}^ 
to  consent  to  the  harboring  of  such  an  eccentric  instrument  of 
death  at  that  place.  I  need  scarcely  say  that  that  day  the  shell 
was,  with  tender  caution,  carried  to  another  place;  the  horrible 
monster,  like  the  wooden  horse  that  destroyed  Troy,  its  deadly 
weapons  in  its  bowels!  I  have  somewhere  read  a  story  of  two 
boys  who  were  out  hunting.  They  came  upon  a  wild  boar. 
Terribly  frightened,  one  ran  off  and  climbed  up  a  tree.  The 
other  in  his  fright  was  overtaken  by  the  boar,  which  ran  between 
his  legs.  The  boy  caught  the  ferocious  animal  by  both  ears,  and 
held  it  for  a  while  with  a  firm  grip.  At  length  he  cried  to  his 
brother  on  the  tree, — 

''John,  come  here." 

"What  do  you  want?"  cried  John. 

"Why,  I  want  you  to  help  me  let  this  hog  go!" 

Thus,  I  had  caught  this  shell,  and  knew  not  how  to  let  it  go. 
I  laid  it  away  in  the  garret  of  the  parsonage.  Surely,  there  it 
could  hurt  no  one.  Could  it  not?  Everybody  knows  that 
there  are  seasons  when  even  that  remote  part  of  a  house  can  not 
escape  the  diligent  hand  of  the  house-cleaner.  What  if  the 
touch  of  a  brush  or  a  foot  should  cause  an  explosion  and  some  one 
be  killed!  I  had  no  more  rest  with  it  overhead  than  under  it. 
I  will  stow  it  away  under  the  earth,  I  thought,  that  will  settle 


186  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

the  matter.  With  a  grim  and  somewhat  grotesque  sense  of  my 
predicament,  I  bore  it  back  into  the  parsonage  lot.  Had  I 
stumbled  or  fallen  down  stairs  with  it,  what  then!  The  plague 
on  this  shell!  How  softly  I  stepped  as  I  bore  it  out  of  the  house. 
Behind  some  currant  bushes  in  the  garden  I  dug  a  deep  hole  with 
a  spade,  and  gently  laid  it  therein  and  with  equal  gentleness 
covered  it  with  earth.  Surely,  now  I  am  rid  of  it.  In  a  day  or 
two,  it  occurred  to  me  that  some  day  it  might  become  necessary 
to  dig  a  post-hole  there  or  a  well  and  touch  the  fatal  end  of  the 
shell  with  the  spade  or  pick.  Such  a  thing  would  not  be  im- 
possible; though  it  should  happen  after  my  death,  I  would  be 
morally  responsible  for  the  destruction  of  human  life.  In  spite 
of  strenuous  efforts  to  throw  aside  these  troublesome  thoughts, 
they  refused  to  give  me  rest.  At  length  a  fortunate  idea,  as  I 
thought,  struck  me.  I  would  sink  it  beneath  the  waters  of  the 
Conococheague,  flowing  along  the  edge  of  Chambersburg.  One 
evening,  about  dusk,  I  started  out  on  this  singular  mission. 
Through  a  certain  back  street,  across  several  town  lots,  down 
a  steep  hillside,  to  the  banks  of  the  stream  I  bore  it,  meanwhile 
musing  over  this  singular  dilemma  into  which  my  fondness  for 
relics  had  brought  me.  The  reader  may  smile  at  it,  but  it  was 
to  me  a  strangely  serious  errand.  I  still  remember  how  I  oc- 
casionally paused  on  the  way,  holding  the  heavy  thing  in  my 
tired  hands  and  listened  to  the  throbbing  of  my  heart  and  to  the 
hush  of  evening,  as  here  and  there  an  insect  began  its  occasional 
chirruping.  With  a  long  stick,  I  sounded  for  a  place  sufficiently 
deep,  then  waded  into  the  stream,  thrust  my  arms  under  the 
water,  and  carefully  laid  my  burden  down.  In  going  away,  I 
noted  some  objects  nearby,  wherewith  to  mark  the  spot,  so  that 
in  case  of  another  demand  of  conscience,  I  would  know  where  to 
find  it.  Leisurely  I  strolled  homeward,  moralizing  over  the 
future  probabilities  in  the  conduct  of  this  shell.  Surely,  there  it 
can  harm  no  one,  I  tried  to  think;  indeed  for  a  day  or  two  I  felt 
pretty  well  convinced  of  it.  Alas  for  my  treacherous  peace! 
For  do  not  the  cattle  and  horses  pass  through  here  to  water,  from 
the  neighboring  field  and  roads?  One  touch  from  the  hoof  of  a 
horse  may  explode  the  shell  and  kill  him  and  his  rider.  In 
summer,  people  fish  in  this  stream  with  stirring  nets.  The  man 
that  stirs  with  a  pole,  or  he  that  holds  the  net  may  kick  the 
shell  into  deadly  action.  Such  a  turn  of  affairs  is  possible. 
Even  to  be  the  indirect  occasion  of  a  fellow-being's  death  would 
grieve  one  to  the  end  of  his  life,  if  not  longer. 

Again,  I  proceeded  to  the  river  bank  at  nightfall.  Somehow, 
troubled  as  I  was,  I  felt  that  other  persons,  my  friends  even,  had 
cause  to  laugh  at  me.     I  preferred  not  to  be  watched  by  people 


CIVIL   WAR   EXPERIENCES  187 

who  could  not  sympathize  with  my  situation.  Perhaps,  some  of 
these  would  have  run  the  risk  and  let  the  shelfrest  or  ruin  some- 
body. I  could  not.  The  spot  and  the  shell,  a  few  feet  under 
water,  were  readily  found.  It  seemed  a  very  heavy  burden, 
somehow  heavier  than  before,  as  I  bore  it  homeward.  What  now? 
Before  I  temporarily  laid  it  in  a  corner,  I  held  it  before  me,  seated 
on  a  chair.  To  my  mind  the  coarse  piece  of  metal  got  to  possess 
a  mysterious  and  unconquerable  power.  But  for  the  power  of 
attraction,  I  would  have  sought  to  hurl  it  on  some  unpeopled 
planet.  Is  there  no  possibility  to  annihilate  it  without  risking 
any  one's  life? 

In  the  same  square  with  the  parsonage  lived  an  humble  gun- 
smith. Alas!  I  have  forgotten  his  name,  as  we  so  easily  forget 
the  names  of  our  greatest  benefactors.  With  Httle  hope  of  re- 
lief, I  consulted  him.  Could  he  not  tell  me  what  to  do  with  this 
shell?     How  to  make  it  absolutely  harmless? 

"Take  out  the  contents,"  was  his  reply.  "Show  me  the 
shell.     I  can  empty  it — know  all  about  it." 

"Suppose  it  will  kill  you!     How  do  you  know  it  won't?" 

"Let  me  see  to  that;  I  know  all  about  it." 

The  next  time  I  called,  he  showed  me  a  lot  of  powder,  balls, 
pieces  of  iron,  etc.,  which  he  had  extracted.  Now  it  was  per- 
fectly empty  and  perfectly  safe.  This  story  may  seem  to  the 
reader  like  much  ado  about  nothing.  So  be  it.  I  felt  thankful 
to  a  kind  Providence,  who  through  this  gunsmith  took  a  heavy 
and  very  annoying  burden  off  my  hands  and  heart.  And  though 
hereafter  cruel  war  should  rain  shells  around  our  doors,  which 
may  God  in  mercy  prevent,  I  shall  never  bear  another  loaded 
shell  from  a  battle-field.  For  its  deadly  freaks  there,  let  those 
be  responsible  who  are  the  agents  in  creating  wars. 

In  less  than  a  month  after  Antietam,  Gen.  Stuart  with  2,800 
cavalry  made  a  daring  raid  around  the  Union  army  and  held 
Chambersburg  "Fourteen  Hours  in  the  Southern  Confederacy." 
His  "Jack"  this  time  had  a  narrow  escape. 

In  a  drenching  rain  squads  of  cavalry  dashed  through  the 
town  in  search  of  horses.  Every  alley  soon  resounded  with  the 
clattering  hoofs  of  Rebel  steeds.  Stables  were  searched  and 
emptied  without  ceremony.  Ingenious  expedients  were  resorted 
to  by  the  owners  to  save  their  property.  Some  in  their  excited 
attempts  to  hurry  them  away  to  places  of  safety,  blundered  into 
the  hands  of  the  enemy.  "My  kingdom  for  a  horse!"  cried  the 
unhorsed  Richard.  The  scene  was  reenacted  in  Chambersburg 
that  night.     In  a  few  hours  the  prevailing  form  of  salutation  on 


188  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

the  streets  was:  "Is  your  horse  safe?"  "Quickly  bring  your 
horse  out  of  the  stable,"  said  a  friend.  "Proctor,  (his  colored 
servant,  who  had  formerly  been  a  slave  in  the  South,)  will  in  a 
moment  bring  my  two  past  the  parsonage.  We  must  hurry  them 
off  and  hide  them  somewhere  in  the  country.  He  will  take  yours 
along." 

The  quickest  time  I  ever  made  in  Chambersburg,  with  my 
unaided  powers  of  locomotion,  I  made  that  night,  from  the 
Public  Square  to  the  stable,  a  distance  of  about  three  squares. 
Poor  Jack,  as  I  hurried  him  out  into  the  street,  little  knew  of  his 
perilous  position.  As  I  handed  to  Proctor  the  reins,  the  clatter- 
ing of  hoofs  of  Rebel  cavalry  were  heard  two  squares  off,  coming 
our  way  at  full  speed.  "Hist,  Proctor,  they  are  coming.  The 
Philistines  be  after  you,"  I  softly  whispered  to  the  faithful  col- 
ored man.  "Ride  for  your  life,  or  you'll  be  a  slave  to  the  day  of 
your  death."  If  ever  mortal  man  vigorously  used  his  spurs  to 
preserve  his  liberty,  it  was  my  colored  friend.  The  three  horses 
gave  him  a  world  of  trouble,  as  it  was  difficult  to  lead  them  on 
at  a  fast  run.  "Alas,  for  poor  Proctor  and  Jack!"  I  muttered, 
as  his  pursuers  dashed  past  me. 

Thanks  to  the  darkness,  the  horse  and  his  rider  escaped.  A 
few  miles  out  of  town,  a  friend  hid  Jack  in  a  barn  cellar.  The 
horse-hunters  searched  all  the  stables,  but  did  not  find  their  way 
into  his  hiding-place. 

His  letter  to  his  brother  gives  further  incident: 

Chambersburg,  October  13,  1862. 
Dear  Philip: 

I  hasten  to  drop  you  a  few  lines  of  information  of  my  safety. 
The  Rebels  had  possession  of  our  town  from  Friday  evening  till 
Saturday  morning  at  9  o'clock.  No  persons  were  killed  and  very 
little  private  property  was  destroyed.  I  felt  easy  all  the  time 
until  they  blew  up  one  of  our  warehouses  containing  powder  and 
shells  on  Saturday  morning.  I  did  all  I  could  while  shells  were 
bursting  to  get  the  women  and  children  to  places  of  safety,  and 
worked  where  the  fire  and  smoke  almost  took  my  breath  from 
me.  For  about  one  hour  I  worked  with  fifty  others  at  an  engine. 
Some  of  the  shells  in  the  burning  warehouse  burst  not  more  than 
twenty  yards  from  me  and  their  pieces  rained  round  us  Uke  hail. 
God  in  mercy  sent  us  a  rain  the  day  before  to  wet  the  houses, 
and  a  west  wind  just  as  the  fire  blazed  up. 

Yesterday,  with  a  full  heart  and  flowing  tears  my  congrega- 
tion returned  thanks  for  their  deliverance.  I  never  preached 
such  a  thanksgiving  sermon.     Job  35:  10 — "Songs  in  the  Night." 


REV.  THOS.  G.  APPLE         REV.   FRED.  A.   RUPLEY 
REV.   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

AT    ABOUT    38 


CIVIL   WAR   EXPERIENCES  189 

Four  days  after  the  departure  of  Stuart's  troopers,  Synod  was 
scheduled  to  meet  in  the  Chambersburg  Church.  To  quiet  the 
fears  of  delegates,  Mr.  Bausman  issued  a  circular  on  Monday 
assuring  them  that  they  could  "come  to  the  meeting  with  per- 
fect safety."  Soon  after  the  circular  was  mailed  the  report 
came  that  Stuart  was  returning,  a  false  report  happily,  yet  it 
was  this  that  led  Dr.  J.  H.  Dubbs  to  make  further  inquiry  for 
himself  and  fellow  delegates,  to  which  Dr.  Harbaugh,  the  retir- 
ing president  of  Synod,  who  was  already  on  the  ground,  tele- 
graphed the  reply:    "Come.     Rebels  all  gone;  chickens  all  safe." 

It  was  the  middle  of  June  and  Mr.  Bausman  was  in  Lancaster 
when  the  first  report  came  of  Lee's  invasion  of  Pennsylvania  and 
he  repaired  at  once  to  Chambersburg,  which  he  succeeded  in 
reaching  only  after  the  fourth  day,  walking  unmolested  the  last 
five  miles  on  the  railroad.  "Gen.  Jenkins  and  his  forces  had 
left  and  I  determined,  if  possible,  to  be  found  at  home  on  his 
next  visit." 

In  a  few  days  the  Confederates  came  again.  The  town  coun- 
cil had  nearly  all  left.  The  clergy  were  unofficially  appointed 
the  council  of  the  town  and  Dr.  Bausman  humorously  tells  of 
the  demand  made  upon  them  by  the  invaders,  among  other 
things  for  twenty-five  barrels  of  sauerkraut. 

When  Lee  himself  rode  through  he  paused  in  the  Square 
debating  with  his  aids  whether  the  army  should  go  toward  Har- 
risburg  or  Gettysburg. 

I  stood  about  twenty  paces  from  him.  Somehow,  in  spite  of 
his  rebelhous  mission,  I  feel  kindly  toward  this  man  and  cannot 
suppress  a  sense  of  admiration  for  his  military  genius.  There 
he  sits  unarmed,  his  face  bronzed  and  care-worn  wath  a  striking 
expression;  one  that  would  attract  your  special  notice  among 
ten  thousand  others.  It  is  a  novel  scene  that  would  furnish  a 
fine  subject  for  a  painter. 

Excerpts  from  the  next  letter  home  follow: 

Chambersburg,  July  10,  1863. 
Dear  Brother  Philip: 

I  need  scarcely  tell  you  at  this  late  date  that  I  am  safe.  You 
have  read  the  papers.  Only  a  few  days  after  I  returned  the  Reb- 
els came — 50,000  of  them  with  3,000  or  4,000  wagons.     For  five 


190  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

days  they  passed  through  the  town.  Got  an  immense  stock  of 
horses,  cattle,  flour,  merchandise. 

Many  are  like  the  Baltimore  thugs,  bloodthirsty  blackguards. 
Not  a  few  are  praying  men.  Have  their  prayer-meetings  and 
read  their  Bibles. 

There  are  10,000  men  at  Gettysburg,  cut  up  and  in  agony  for 
keeping  the  Rebel  army  away  from  you.  I  was  there,  I  know  how 
destitute  they  are. 

I  think  we,  whom  they  have  defended,  should  be  willing  to 
live  on  bread  and  water  and  lie  on  the  hard  floor  if  need  be,  so 
that  we  could  make  them  comfortable.  Go  around  among  your 
neighbors  and  beg  them  for  God's  sake  and  the  sake  of  these 
crippled,  dying  patriots  to  assist  in  making  them  comfortable. 

My  horse  is  safe.  I  had  intended  to  send  him  with  Mr.  Fish- 
er's to  you ;  but  the  man  that  keeps  him  begged  me  to  let  him  have 
him.  Don't  feed  Mr.  Fisher's  horse  strong.  He  gets  too  fat 
and  foohsh. 

We  have  some  fifty  wounded  Rebels  here,  some  of  them  pious 
men. 

In  a  letter  to  his  brother  written  August  27th  and  referring  to 
the  call  to  Reading,  he  went  on: 

I  have  just  received  another  call.  To-day  the  draft  was  held 
in  this  place  and  lo!  my  name  was  pulled  out.  Now  show  your 
brotherly  generosity  and  go  as  my  substitute.  They  say  the 
examining  surgeon  is  very  particular.  Perhaps  he  will  reject 
me,  on  the  ground  that  I  am  not  sound  enough.  The  way  I 
have  been  the  last  three  months,  I  surely  could  not  stand  private 
soldiering  long.     But  I  shall  not  coax  for  exemption. 

The  Provost  Marshal's  summons  was  accompanied  by  the 
order  to  "report  on  the  eighth  of  October,  1863,  at  the  place  of 
rendezvous,  in  Chambersburg,  or  be  deemed  a  deserter,  and  be 
subject  to  the  penalty  prescribed  therefor  by  the  rules  and  ar- 
ticles of  war." 

In  the  "Reminiscences"  we  read: 

I  had  heard  much  of  the  rude  treatment  which  some  of  the 
drafted  men  received  at  the  hands  of  the  surgeons.  Very  differ- 
ent was  my  fate  in  this  case.  With  a  warm  grasp  of  the  hand, 
he  invited  me  to  a  seat  and  kindly  told  me  that  he  had  made  my 
acquaintance  through  a  certain  book.  After  a  cheerful  conver- 
sation  of   this    kind    he    inquired    about   my    health   and    the 


CIVIL   WAR   EXPERIENCES  191 

symptoms  of  my  affliction  and  at  last  remarked  that  my  bodily 
condition  at  that  time  unfitted  me  for  service. 

"Unfit  for  military  duty  by  reason  of  Chronic  Bronchitis" 
reads  the  "Certificate  of  Exemption." 

He  was  in  Vermont  on  his  vacation  with  Dr.  E.  E.  Higbee, 
whom  he  regarded  "a  capital  pilot  through  Yankee  land,"  on 
the  first  of  August,  1864,  when  he  "read  with  horror  in  the  Boston 
Journal  that  Chambersburg  was  burned  by  the  Rebels."  He 
hastened  to  Reading  at  once  and  then  to  the  scene  of  the  disaster 
to  minister  again  to  his  former  flock.  He  tarried  there  for  a  week, 
comforting  and  helping  in  many  ways.  His  church  at  Reading 
contributed  largely  to  the  needy  and  suffering  at  Chambersburg. 


CHAPTER  X 

Reading,  First  Church — 1863-1872 

BENJAMIN  BAUSMAN  entered  upon  the  great  work  of  his 
hfe  when  he  came  to  Reading;  and  what  he  did  while  there 
is  the  abiding  monument  of  his  spiritual  leadership,  as  we  see  it 
in  the  First  and  St.  Paul's  Churches,  in  the  other  well  located 
and  aggressive  Reformed  churches  of  that  industrial  city,  and  in 
the  awakening  of  the  religious  life  of  his  denomination  due  in  no 
small  measure  to  his  writings  and  manifold  activities. 

He  understood  the  Pennsylvania  Germans  in  their  faults  and 
virtues.  They  were  his  own  people.  He  loved  them  and  his 
life  was  set  to  their  religious  uplift  and  nurture.  The  pastorate 
of  the  old  First  Church  in  Reading  was  strategic  for  all  Eastern 
Pennsylvania  and  he  knew  it.  The  task  was  gigantic  as  dis- 
cerned in  the  possibilities  of  the  situation;  but  the  very  im- 
mensity of  the  opportunity  gave  the  position  its  fascination,  for 
Mr.  Bausman  was  a  man  of  vision. 

"What  do  you  want  with  this  sick  man  in  Reading?"  inquired 
many  who  saw  and  heard  the  wan-visaged  preacher.  It  seemed 
a  stroke  of  folly  to  call  an  invalid  to  a  pastorate  so  important 
and  taxing.  Mr.  Bausman's  best  friends  questioned  the  wisdom 
of  risking  the  work  at  Reading,  though  they  realized  his  peculiar 
fitness  for  it.  After  preaching  in  Reading  on  August  2,  1863, 
he  knew  the  congregation's  feeling  toward  him  and  that  they 
would  call  him.  He  told  his  friends  afterwards  that  on  the  fol- 
lowing day  as  he  left  on  the  train  for  a  two  weeks'  vacation  in 
Atlantic  City,  he  felt  so  weak  and  discouraged  about  his  health 
that  he  never  expected  to  see  Reading  again.  He  was  suffering 
occasionally  from  ominous  hemorrhages.  We  have  seen  how  he 
was  declared  unfit  for  military  service.  Before  accepting  the 
call  he  consulted  a  Reading  physician,  whose  reply  showed  his 
misgivings — "Yes,  come,  the  work  is  difficult,  but  it  is  worth 

192 


FIRST   REFORMED  CHURCH.   READING.   IN  WHICH   DR.   BAUSMAN   PREACHED 


READING,    FIRST   CHURCH  193 

the  life  of  a  good  man."  Dr.  Harbaugh,  who  knew  so  well  his 
bosom  friend's  handicap  from  ill  health,  had  questioned  very 
strongly  the  wisdom  of  his  coming.  He  preached  one  of  the 
sermons  at  Mr.  Bausman's  installation,  Sunday  the  first  day  of 
November,  and  the  text  he  chose  indicates  his  recognition  of  Mr. 
Bausman's  abandonment  to  duty  irrespective  of  all  consequences 
— Acts  20:  24,  "I  hold  not  my  life  of  any  account  as  dear  unto 
myself,  so  that  I  may  accomplish  my  course,  and  the  ministry 
which  I  received  from  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  testify  the  gospel  of  the 
grace  of  God."  To  such  as  declared  that  Mr.  Bausman  was 
coming  to  Reading  to  die,  good  Dr.  McCauley,  pastor  of  the  Sec- 
ond Reformed  Church,  made  reply  with  solemn  humor:  "What 
of  it?  Reading  is  just  as  near  heaven  as  Chambersburg  and 
we  will  give  him  decent  burial." 

Moreover,  these  forebodings  were  perilously  near  being  real- 
ized, for,  before  the  end  of  the  year  1863,  he  was  brought  very 
close  to  death's  door  and  for  six  weeks  was  out  of  his  pulpit.  He 
had  plunged  too  energetically  into  his  work.  He  was  so  eager 
to  become  acquainted  with  his  large  congregation,  that  he  visited 
twenty-five,  twenty-eight  and  forty-six  families  on  successive 
days  and  with  many  tasks  overdid  himself.  He  suffered  a  vio- 
lent attack  of  pleurisy  and  himself  noted  when  he  was  conval- 
escing, ''My  illness  was  critical,  the  Dr.  says  dangerous."  We 
read  in  his  diary  January  1,  1864:  "Another  year  gone  and 
what  a  year!  Mercy  crowned  it  at  its  close.  The  Lord  is  my 
refuge  and  my  trust."  And  four  weeks  later:  "My  fortieth  birth- 
day. What  has  God  not  done  for  me,  especially  this  last  year? 
At  least  half  of  my  life  is  gone  and  more.  How  long  I  shall  live, 
God  knows.  Let  Him  do  as  seemeth  right  in  His  sight.  All  my 
powers  I  will  try  to  give  Him." 

During  the  first  few  years  in  Reading  there  are  notes  in  the 
diary  quite  often,  indicating  that  he  did  not  expect  to  live  long — 
particularly  at  the  turn  of  the  year  and  on  birthdays:  "Past 
middle  life,  on  the  downward  side  of  the  hill — "  "I  am  verging 
toward  the  sunset  of  life — "  "How  fast  my  life  is  passing,  and 
how  httle  I  am  doing." 

His  long  life  happily  disproved  his  own  forebodings  and  he 
outlived  nearly  all  his  associates  who  predicted  his  early  demise. 
13 


194  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

When  he  was  passed  forty,  new  health  and  vigor  apparently  came 
to  him  and  he  seemed  to  revel  undismayed  in  the  new  tasks  and 
burdens  imposed  upon  him.  Moreover,  the  melancholy  expec- 
tation of  an  early  death  seemed  to  summon  him  to  redoubled 
efforts,  for  he  "must  work  while  it  is  day." 

Multitudes  attended  his  services.  Benches  and  chairs  were 
often  carried  into  the  aisles.  There  was  inspiration  in  this  and 
he  rejoiced  in  it  for  the  good  he  could  do.  "Full  churches;  very 
attentive.  Blessed  day  to  my  heart."  "Crowds! — How  can  I  be 
thankful  enough  for  such  enjoyments?" 

There  was  such  freshness  and  reality  about  his  messages  that 
men  recall  them  vividly  to-day  and  say  they  had  never  before 
heard  such  preaching.  His  first-hand  knowledge  of  Bible  lands 
illuminated  his  texts  and  gave  peculiar  force  of  conviction  to 
his  discourses. 

He  had  immense  catechetical  classes  from  the  start  and  con- 
firmed on  Good  Friday,  the  first  year  70  and  the  years  fol- 
lowing successively  68,  106,  124,  98  and  136.  By  certificate 
and  renewal  of  faith,  he  received  members  by  the  scores. 

During  the  winters  of  1865  and  1866,  he  delivered  a  course  of 
lectures  to  young  men  on  such  topics:  "The  Art  of  Making  and 
Using  Money;"  "Selecting  a  Calling;"  "Manliness" — and,  dur- 
ing the  following  winter,  on  his  travels  in  the  British  Isles  and 
on  the  Continent.  These  lectures  were  very  popular,  put  him  in 
touch  with  young  people  who  otherwise  would  not  have  come  to 
his  church  and  thus  helped  to  increase  the  accessions  to  the 
membership. 

He  began  immediately  to  develop  the  benevolent  activity  of 
the  church,  and  his  stirring  appeals  brought  a  hearty  response, 
usually  far  above  what  he  asked  for.  A  benevolent  society  was 
organized,  the  city  was  districted  and  collectors  were  appointed 
to  gather  funds  regularly.  Hitherto  there  had  been  no  such  or- 
ganized effort.  At  the  meeting  of  Eastern  Synod  held  in  Lancas- 
ter in  October,  1864,  at  which  he  was  president,  he  pledged  his 
own  congregation  to  the  amount  of  S500.00  for  Home  Missions 
alone. 

Immediately  after  the  inspiring  Easter  festival  in  the  spring 
of  1864,  he  appealed  to  the  congregation  to  pay  off  the  floating 


READING,    FIRST   CHURCH  195 

debt  of  about  $3,000  which  had  accumulated  during  several 
years  and  it  was  soon  wiped  out. 

The  church  prospered  in  every  way  during  his  pastorate  and 
appreciation  was  shown  him  by  twice  increasing  his  salary,  by 
granting  vacations  which  had  never  before  been  given  the  pastor 
and  by  many  tokens  of  affection  and  esteem. 

Mr.  Bausman  had  clear  views  and  definite  plans  for  city  church 
extension  before  he  came  to  Reading.  He  had  first  hand  ob- 
servation of  Ragged-schools  in  England;  he  had  studied  and 
written  about  them,  and  one  feels  that  one  of  the  chief  attrac- 
tions in  the  call  to  Reading  was  the  opportunity  to  carry  out  these 
plans.  Because  of  his  serious  illness  he  was  able  to  do  very  little 
in  the  congregation  before  January,  1864.  He  did  not  wait  even 
until  he  had  mastered  the  situation  in  the  First  Church  nor  for 
the  more  favorable  conditions  of  spring,  for  it  was  on  Sunday, 
the  sixth  of  March,  but  four  months  after  he  came  to  Reading, 
that  St.  John's  Sunday-school  was  organized;  this  was  followed 
in  a  few  months  by  the  starting  of  Emanuel's,  which  afterward 
became  St.  Stephen's  Sunday-school  and  church.  Later,  other 
schools  were  organized  in  outlying  sections  of  the  city  and  most 
of  them  ultimately  developed  into  congregations.  They  were 
begun  in  schoolhouses  and  then  after  a  while  the  pastor,  with 
the  assistance  of  his  church,  erected  a  suitable  building.  He 
was  favored  with  an  independent  income  and  was  willing  to  use 
it  for  the  cause  of  Christ.  This  enabled  him  to  lead  off  in  these 
enterprises  which  otherwise  would  have  suffered  fatal  delay.  A 
typical  transaction  was  the  first  one,  November  23,  1864.  The 
diary  for  that  day  reads: 

Closed  the  purchase  of  two  lots  for  a  mission  Sunday-school 
building  for  $950.  Paid  half.  Have  contracted  for  the  build- 
ing on  my  own  responsibility.  The  congregation  will  not  let 
me  stick. 

He  challenged  men  and  women  of  ability  and  promise  to  be- 
come oSicers  and  teachers  in  these  schools,  which  became  fine 
places  of  training  for  them.  Many  of  the  strong  lay  workers  of 
Reading  owe  their  usefulness  and  eflficiency  to  Dr.  Bausman's 
summoning  them  to  Christian  service  in  the  mission  Sunday- 
schools. 


196  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

It  was  his  custom  every  Sunday,  if  possible,  in  addition  to  fre- 
quent baptisms  and  funerals,  to  visit  one  or  two  of  these  schools 
and  from  time  to  time  participate  in  their  special  festivities  and 
anniversaries.  Their  success  was  due  largely  to  his  devotion, 
interest  and  oversight,  and  particularly  to  the  counsel  and  en- 
couragement which  he  gave  their  leaders.  Withal,  he  heartily 
enjoyed  these  activities,  which  he  knew  counted  mightily  for  the 
kingdom,  and  especially  to  be  among  the  budding  children  and 
youth.  After  a  day  of  such  visits  he  wrote  in  exclamation: 
"Beautiful  is  the  world  of  children!  Had  to  weep  as  I  sat  among 
them." 

A  man,  who  thoroughly  understands  the  situation  as  it  was 
when  Bausman  came,  says:  ''The  Reformed  Church  in  Reading 
would  have  gone  to  pieces  if  a  strong  man  had  not  come. "  There 
would  have  been,  at  least,  serious  defections  from  the  old  First 
Church,  which  was  then  beset  with  internal  troubles.  The  com- 
ing of  Mr.  Bausman  inspired  new  life  and  hope,  not  only  into  the 
congregation  of  which  he  became  pastor,  but  into  the  denomina- 
tion in  the  town  and  vicinity. 

His  efforts  for  the  general  good  of  the  Reformed  Church  in 
the  city  were  heartily  seconded  by  Dr.  McCauley,  his  warm 
friend,  who  had  done  so  much  to  bring  him  to  Reading.  They 
and  their  churches  worked  together  in  harmony  and  a  strong 
denominational  consciousness  and  unity  was  developed  by 
united  services  and  undertakings.  Notable  was  the  concluding 
celebration  of  the  300th  anniversary  of  the  publication  of  the 
Heidelberg  Catechism,  held  in  the  spring  of  1864  in  the  First 
Church. 

It  was  the  custom  then  for  all  the  Reformed  Sunday-schools 
to  picnic  together  on  the  4th  of  July  in  Deininger's  woods,  where 
the  Schuylkill  Seminary  is  now  located.  Thither  the  young 
Christian  soldiers  marched  with  happy  faces  and  flying  banners. 

A  year  after  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Bausman,  the  officers  and 
teachers  of  all  the  Reformed  Sunday-schools  were  organized  into 
an  association  which  helped  greatly  to  further  the  common  in- 
terest. Dr.  C.  Z.  Weiser  preached  their  anniversary  sermon  in 
1869,  and  wrote  of  the  association  in  the  Messenger: 


READING,    FIRST   CHURCH  197 

The  Reformed  Church  at  Reading  numbers  seven  Sunday- 
schools.  Five  of  them  are  mission  schools.  The  friends  of  the 
cause,  with  Rev.  B.  Bausman  in  the  lead,  organize  from  time  to 
time  in  this  or  that  quarter  of  the  city,  build  a  chapel,  and  plant 
the  interest,  as  we  plant  a  tree.  And  let  it  be  said,  too,  all  of 
them  grow,  thrive  and  bear  fruit.  The  Sunday-school  teachers 
numbering  from  150  to  200,  have  formed  themselves  into  an 
association.  They  meet  monthly,  and  do  just  what  sensible 
and  live  teachers  will  do  at  their  gatherings. 

When  Mr.  Bausman  came  to  Reading,  it  was  understood,  in  a 
general  way  at  least,  that  a  new  congregation  should  colonize 
from  the  old  one  which  was  growing  so  rapidly  and,  because  of 
its  large  numbers,  was  becoming  more  and  more  unwieldy  and 
hence  was  wanting  in  efficiency.  The  task  proved  to  be  an  im- 
mense one,  full  of  difficulties  and  bitter  annoyances.  Over  nine 
years  passed  before  St.  Paul's  was  finally  organized.  No  finer 
tribute  to  his  courage,  wisdom  and  practical  idealism  can  one 
find  than  in  his  unflinching  persistence  to  accomplish  this  end. 
Weaker  men  would  have  given  up  the  struggle  and  been  content 
with  the  throngs,  the  large  confirmation  classes  and  the  pecuni- 
ary advantages  incident  thereto.  Nay,  how  often  have  we  seen 
ministers  of  large  churches  cling  to  every  member  who  would  go 
elsewhere  to  work  and  stoutly  oppose  colonization.  How  often 
have  new  congregations  been  started  by  schism  from  the  old,  the 
new  interest  going  out  under  the  protest,  not  the  encourage- 
ment of  the  pastor.  Moreover,  as  Hon.  Geo.  F.  Baer  puts  it  in 
a  fine  tribute  to  Dr.  Bausman: 

Instead  of  remaining  with  the  old  and  strong  mother  church,  he 
went  with  the  smaller  number,  who  were  to  take  upon  themselves 
the  harder  work  of  organizing  a  new  English  congregation  and 
of  building  a  new  church. 

His  mind  had  been  made  up  in  the  matter  before  coming  to 
Reading  and  the  experience  of  a  few  years  only  made  his  con- 
viction the  more  decided.  It  was  just  before  Easter,  1866,  in  the 
midst  of  his  most  busy  season,  that  he  v/rote  on  the  subject  for 
the  Messenger,  an  editorial  which  shows  by  its  tenor  that  it  came 
out  of  the  author's  experience.  It  is  entitled,  "A  Sigh  beneath 
a  Burden." 


198  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

A  certain  man  of  God  of  whom  we  think  more  highly  than  of 
some  other  people,  once  asked  a  friend  how  strong  the  congrega- 
tion was  to  which  he  belonged.  He  replied,  "One  thousand 
strong."  "One  thousand  strong!"  replied  the  earnest  man,  "you 
had  better  say,  one  thousand  weak.  No  congregation  can  develop 
its  proportionate  strength  with  such  a  mass  of  material." 

The  article  goes  on  to  speak  of  the  advantages  and  attractive 
power  of  large  congregations,  but  they,  "like  all  large  bodies  are 
hard  to  move." 

The  pastor  may  be  able  to  preach  to  them  all,  but  he  cannot 
possibly  perform  his  pastoral  duties  faithfully.  A  shepherd 
ought  to  "know  his  sheep,"  but  he  cannot  know  one-half  of  his 
personally. 

In  large  congregations  you  cannot  so  well  develop  the  habit  of 
individual  piety  and  strength.     They  beget  rubbish,  stragglers. 

You  cannot  develop  the  benevolence  of  such. 

Large  congregations  usually  suffer  most  at  the  hands  of  sancti- 
monious pirates — the  proselyting  of  rival  sects. 

Wherever  a  congregation  numbers  more  than  400,  they  ought 
to  colonize.  First,  for  their  own  sake,  to  enable  the  pastor  to 
drill  them  in  practical  Christian  work.  Secondly,  for  the  sake  of 
doing  good.  Send  out  a  colony  in  another  part  of  the  town  and 
it  will  soon  gather  the  material  in  the  neighborhood,  which  the 
old  church  could  never  have  reached.  The  two  hands  of  the 
divided  congregation  will  do  five  times  as  much  for  the  cause  of 
Christ  as  the  original  one  did. 

David  did  more  with  his  pebbles  than  the  giant  with  his  sword, 
though  the  strong  arm  of  Goliath  wielded  it. 

A  week  later,  he  touched  the  same  subject  in  an  editorial 
under  the  heading  "Assistant  Pastors,"  of  whom  he  disapproved 
in  the  Protestant  Church,  because  "personal  unburdenings "  must 
come  to  the  pastor's  ear  if  he  is  to  preach  effectively.  This  is 
gotten  through  pastoral  work.  The  Roman  priest  gets  it  through 
the  confessional.  "In  our  opinion  the  preacher  ought  to  be  the 
pastor  and  the  pastor  the  preacher." 

Not  only  because  of  the  size  of  the  First  Church  was  division 
necessary,  but  also  because  of  the  language  question.  During 
his  pastorate,  half  the  services  were  in  German  and  there  was  a 
growing  need,  especially  among  the  younger  portion,  for  more 
English   services.     The   establishment   of   the   mission  Sunday- 


READING,    FIRST   CHURCH  199 

schools  was  a  practical  demonstration  of  his  policy  of  church 
work,  but  they  afforded  little  relief  from  congestion  at  the  First 
Church.  Meanwhile,  the  old  church  continued  to  grow,  the 
debt  was  removed,  the  missionary  spirit  was  inculcated  by  many 
sermons  and  in  December,  1865,  the  first  official  steps  were 
taken  toward  the  new  project. 

Adjoining  the  old  church  was  the  graveyard.  In  view  of  the 
rapid  growth  of  the  city,  it  was  very  evident  that  the  cemetery 
would  not  be  tolerated  for  long  in  that  location.  Then  too,  the 
ground  was  very  valuable  and  it  was  proposed  to  sell  it  and  use 
the  proceeds  for  the  new  church.  Authority  to  do  this  had  to  be 
secured  by  special  act  of  Legislature,  for  the  graveyard  was 
originally  a  special  grant  from  the  Penns. 

The  proposition  to  sell  the  graveyard  ground  for  this  purpose 
was  voted  down  in  a  congregational  meeting,  January,  1866. 
After  the  successful  and  inspiring  services  of  the  following  Easter, 
a  new  tack  was  taken.  The  Consistory  authorized  the  prepara- 
tion of  plans  for  the  new  church  and  a  congregational  meeting 
in  August  voted  to  erect  a  new  church  for  the  German  portion 
of  the  congregation.  It  was  soon  realized  that  it  would  be  wiser 
to  have  the  German  portion,  who  were  for  the  most  part,  the 
older  members,  remain  in  the  old  church,  and  accordingly  in 
December,  it  was  decided  that  the  new  church  should  be  for 
the  English  portion,  and  at  the  same  time,  the  congregation 
voted  to  sell  the  graveyard  for  that  purpose. 

The  sermons  of  the  pastor  favoring  the  new  church  were  stir- 
ring and  powerful  and  excited  among  many,  bitter  opposition. 
His  conviction  and  passion  in  the  matter  were  intense.  He 
preached  on  Isaiah  54:  2,  3,  "Enlarge  the  place  of  thy 
tent,  lengthen  thy  cords  and  strengthen  thy  stakes.  For  thou 
shalt  spread  abroad  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left."  In  the 
record  of  the  day  he  prepared  it  we  read:  "Wept  during  the 
writing  of  it.  May  God  help  me  to  preach  it."  It  is  needless 
to  say  that  its  effect  was  great. 

He  stated  in  this  sermon  that  there  were  1,500  confirmed 
souls  under  his  care  and  1,200  unconfirmed — counting  the  schol- 
ars of  all  the  mission  schools — and  there  were  sittings  in  the 
church  for  about   1,000.      Many  members  wanted  to  pay  for 


200  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

sittings  but  could  not  get  them.  The  crowds  at  communions 
were  so  great  that  not  a  few  went  away  without  coming  to  the 
Lord's  Table. 

You  blockade  the  port  of  heaven  to  allow  none  but  the  favored 
few  to  enter  its  blessed  enjoyments,  and  yet  you  say,  "Plenty 
of  room!" 

You  are  glad  to  see  large  numbers  confirmed,  but  refuse  to 
provide  for  new  members.  By  want  of  church  room  and  by 
making  it  impossible  for  the  pastor  to  care  for  them  properly,  you 
hand  them  over  to  the  evil.  This  church  is  contributing  to  the 
vices  of  this  city,  by  not  faithfully  cultivating  the  large  field 
which  our  Saviour  has  given  to  her  charge.  I  cannot  be  a  party 
in  the  ruin  of  souls. 

The  facts  and  details  of  this  vexing  undertaking  are  given  in 
particular  in  Daniel  Miller's  "History  of  the  Reformed  Church 
in  Reading."  They  need  not  be  detailed  here.  It  is  for  us  to 
record  Mr.  Bausman's  part,  attitude  and  feelings  in  it. 

For  one  reason  and  another  there  were  delays;  actions  and 
counteractions  were  taken,  various  sites  were  considered,  there 
was  litigation;  the  act  of  Legislature  above  referred  to  was  not 
passed  until  February,  1869.  Tremendous  and  violent  opposi- 
tion was  occasioned  by  the  removal  of  the  dead,  and  Bausman 
suffered  shameful  abuse.  This  was  to  be  expected  in  a  move- 
ment so  aggressive,  but  the  delays  discouraged  him  and  sub- 
scriptions for  the  new  church  came  in  slowly.  In  May,  1868, 
he  wrote  in  his  diary:  "I  am  greatly  disheartened  about  the  new 
church  enterprise.  Secretly  think  of  resigning  unless  people 
take  better  hold  of  it." 

He  continued  to  work  judiciously  for  the  new  church,  how- 
ever, preaching  on  it  often.  His  feeling  in  the  matter  appears 
from  the  diary  record  at  the  end  of  1869:  "God  has  mercifully 
brought  me  through  a  laborious  year.  Feel  sad.  The  unsettled 
and  uncertain  state  of  my  congregation  worries  me  more  and  more." 
A  year  later,  we  read:  "Feel  discouraged  with  my  congregation. 
God  is  my  helper." 

In  the  winter  and  spring  of  1871,  matters  came  to  a  climax, 
for  Mr.  Bausman  forced  the  issue.  Plans  for  the  new  church 
had  been  adopted  more  than  a  year  before  and  some  subscrip- 


READING,    FIRST   CHURCH  201 

tions  were  secured,  yet  the  work  went  not  forward.  He  decided 
on  heroic  action  and  on  March  6,  1871,  told  the  Consistory 
emphatically  that  he  "would  resign  in  one  month  unless  the 
congregation  would  by  that  time  begin  the  building  of  the  new 
church."  A  week  later,  a  congregational  meeting  was  held  to 
act  on  the  matter.  He  then  reaffirmed  his  determination  to 
resign  if  they  did  not  move  in  the  new  church  project  at  once. 
They  immediately  went  on  gathering  funds,  other  congregational 
meetings  were  held  and  by  the  beginning  of  April,  he  could  say, 
"$6,000.00  raised  in  addition  to  the  $9,000.00  before:  much  joy 
at  prospects  of  success."  The  drawback  had  been  that  "the 
rich  hesitate,"  while  "the  poorer  members  do  their  utmost." 
The  congregation  would  not  consider  the  prospect  of  his  resigna- 
tion for  a  moment;  they  were  therefore  forced  to  go  on  raising 
money.  This  decision  put  new  life  into  the  congregation  and 
brought  joy  to  the  pastor.  The  Easter  communion  was  "the 
largest  we  ever  had"  and  he  could  say  of  the  festival,  "One  of 
the  happiest  days  I  ever  had  in  Reading."  The  building  of  St. 
Paul's  was  now  taken  up  in  earnest  and  went  on  steadily  to  a 
successful  completion. 

If  Mr.  Bausman  had  left  Reading  at  this  time,  he  would  doubt- 
less have  become  the  pastor  of  St.  Paul's  Reformed  Church,  Lan- 
caster, which  was  then  without  a  pastor.  He  had  preached 
there  in  March. 

In  connection  with  the  corner-stone  laying  of  St.  Paul's  Church 
in  the  summer  of  1871,  there  was  an  incident  which  Dr.  Bausman 
always  took  delight  in  narrating.  Dr.  John  W.  Nevin  was  mak- 
ing the  address  when  unexpectedly  from  apparently  a  clear  sky 
there  was  a  terrific  clap  of  thunder  and  for  a  short  time  a  heavy 
rainfall.  Instantly  there  was  a  rush  to  get  under  cover  and  as 
the  audience  vanished.  Dr.  Nevin  turned  to  Dr.  Bausman  and 
remarked,  "  That  was  the  m-most  m-m-moving  speech  of  my  life. " 

These  were  strenuous  years  for  Benjamin  Bausman  and  he  had 
little  time  for  extended  correspondence  with  his  friends.  The 
few  letters  that  are  left  us  reveal  his  old  time  humor  and  geniality. 

A  few  months  after  the  close  of  the  war  he  responded  on  a 
scrap  of  note  paper  to  the  Rev.  C.  H.  Leinbach's  suggestion 
that  they  exchange  pulpits  by  declining  because  of  his  frequent 


202  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

enforced  absences,  and  then  went  on:  "Paper  is  dear,  and  money- 
is  scarce,  and  work  is  pressing,  and  the  people  are  fools,  and 
tempus  fugit,  and  my  words  must  be  few,  and  my  love  to  your 
wife  and  glad  your  boil  is  healing,  etc.,  etc." 

We  are  pleased  to  see  another  letter  to  his  old  friend  Rust: 

Reading,  January  31,  1870. 
My  dear  Herman  : 

Here's  my  hand,  and  the  right  one,  too.  As  soon  as  your  letter 
was  handed  me,  before  I  opened  it,  and  saw  the  handwriting,  I 
said  to  myself:  ''Why  that  is  from  Herman  Rust.  It  is  a  long 
time  since  I  got  a  letter  from  him." 

I  am  heartily  glad  to  hear  a  good  report  from  my  namesake 
[now  Dr.  John  Benjamin  Rust,  of  Tiffin,  O.].  Pleasant,  too,  is 
it  to  hear  that  he  has  an  active,  inquiring  mind  and  a  good  heart, 
although  I  would  hardly  be  allowed  to  claim  any  credit  for  these 
qualities,  namesake  though  he  be.     Greet  the  dear  fellow  for  me. 

I  need  hardly  tell  you  that  I  am  busy  and  happy.  Have  led  my 
large  congregation  through  a  terrific  storm,  the  last  three  years, 
endeavoring  to  get  it  divided,  and  shape  the  mass  of  material 
into  working  organizations.  The  end  is  not  yet.  I  hope  and 
pray  the  Lord  will  enable  us  to  consummate  our  projects  soon. 
Besides  my  pastoral  work  and  preaching,  I  am  editor  of  the 
Guardian,  editor  and  publisher  of  Hausjreund,  president  of  Or- 
phans' Home  Board,  and  of  Home  Missions,  etc.,  etc.  Blessed 
is  the  man  to  whom  God  gives  something  to  do,  and  strength  and 
will  to  do  it.  I  have  taken  no  part  in  fighting  the  heretics,  and 
it  is  well  for  the  scamps  that  I  have  not.  I  think  the  best  system 
to  fight  them  is  to  challenge  them  to  join  you  in  acts  of  well- 
doing. And  I  hereby  throw  down  the  glove  to  you  and  your 
whole  Knightly  Order.  Come  on,  sir,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
come  on,  my  brother  Herman.  Life  is  too  short  to  spend  it  in 
pulling  one  another's  hair.  We  will  get  bald  soon  enough  with- 
out that.  Let  us  put  such  theology  as  we  have  into  harness. 
Get  it  to  work  in  acts  of  beneficence,  in  extending  Christ's  King- 
dom. This  will  help  us  to  clear  the  system  of  the  Church  of 
the  virus  with  which  the  "fury  of  theologians"  has  poisoned  it. 
We  must  learn  to  confide  in  and  love  one  another,  though  differ- 
ing theologically.  Help  to  agitate  the  Church  for  this  end.  I 
am  truly  glad,  after  so  long  a  silence  to  have  heard  from  you. 
Amid  the  push  and  din  of  my  multifarious  duties,  I  have  often 
thought  of  you.  Greet  your  wife  and  children  (how  many  might 
you  have  by  this  time?)  for  me,  and  believe  me,  as  of  old,  so  now, 
Your  sincere  friend, 

B.  Bausman. 


READING,    FIRST    CHURCH  203 

These  were  the  years  of  the  bitterest  controversy  in  the  Re- 
formed Church  on  the  Liturgical  Question,  particularly  after  the 
Myerstown  Convention  held  in  the  fall  of  1867,  which  issued  in 
the  opening  of  Ursinus  College  in  1870.  In  the  columns  of  the 
Messenger  a  fierce  cannonade  was  going  on  between  the  big  guns 
of  both  sides.  Not  a  published  word  do  we  find  of  Mr.  Baus- 
man's  position  on  the  question.  The  reason  why,  as  well  as  the 
direction  of  his  sympathies  in  the  issue  are  given  in  the  above 
letter  to  Rust. 

In  addition  to  the  above-named  outside  labors  on  Church 
Boards  and  as  editor  he  was  then  a  member  also  of  the  following: 
The  Board  of  Visitors  of  the  Theological  Seminary,  The  Board  of 
Trustees  of  Franklin  and  Marshall  College,  The  Board  of  For- 
eign Missions,  The  Sunday  School  Board,  and  Vice  President  of 
the  Society  of  Relief.  These  exacting  and  beneficent  labors  in 
behalf  of  the  denomination  will  be  treated  in  other  chapters. 

As  a  trusted  and  honored  leader  in  the  Church,  he  was  beset 
with  a  multitude  of  invitations  to  preach  at  corner-stone  layings, 
church  dedications  and  the  like.  Some  of  them  were  accepted, 
but  many  more  declined. 

His  strong  sermon  on  "The  Church  as  a  Family  "  at  the  open- 
ing of  the  Synod  of  Lewisburg,  in  October,  1865,  was  by  special 
request  of  Synod  published  in  the  Messenger. 

Mr.  Bausman  was  chairman  of  the  committee  on  the  State  of 
the  Church  at  the  General  Synod  of  Dayton,  in  December,  1866. 
His  report  was  given  the  unusual  distinction,  by  resolution  of 
the  General  Synod,  "That  all  the  pastors  be  requested  to  read  the 
report  to  their  people  from  the  pulpit."  Its  seven  pages  in  the 
minutes  are  a  rapid  and  racy  presentation  and  interpretation  of 
the  salient  facts  of  the  triennium,  mixed  with  warm-hearted  ap- 
preciation and  challenge  to  pastors  and  people  to  greater  de- 
votion and  liberality,  concluding  with  a  stirring  "appeal  to  the 
young  men  and  to  their  parents  to  recruit  the  ranks  of  the  min- 
istry"— "to  come  up  to  the  help  of  the  Lord,  the  help  of  the 
Lord  against  the  mighty." 

When  he  was  returning  from  this  General  Synod  of  Dayton, 
one  of  the  Church  Boards  of  which  he  was  a  member  held  a 
meeting  on  the  train,  "somewhere  between  Altoona  and  Harris- 


204  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

burg."  He  said  of  it:  " Never  before  had  we  a  hand  in  transact- 
ing business  at  the  rate  of  twenty  miles  an  hour. " 

Mr.  Bausman's  valuable  editorial  services  to  the  Messenger 
were  continued  during  the  first  three  years  of  his  residence  in 
Reading,  as  we  have  seen.  He  was  privileged  to  render  the 
publication  interest  another  great  service  by  gathering  funds  to 
meet  the  losses  incurred  in  the  destruction  of  the  printing  es- 
tablishment \\ath  the  burning  of  Chambersburg,  July  30, 1864. 

In  the  first  issue  following  the  fire  he  said: 

For  once  the  Messenger  has  been  whipped;  but  it  will  not  re- 
main whipped.  For  one  month  its  guns  have  been  silenced  by 
the  foe.  We  have  "changed  our  base,"  but  not  our  principles. 
The  latter  have  been  in  "the  fiery  furnace."  They  have  come 
out  with  their  coats  unchanged,  "nor  has  the  smell  of  fire  passed 
on  them."  We  feel  hopeful  in  the  presence  of  these  dreary 
ruins.  We  have  faith  in  God,  and  in  his  Church.  As  for  the 
destiny  of  this  journal,  we  believe  that  these  so-called  misfor- 
tunes will  turn  out  to  its  advantage.  Where  it  shall  hereafter 
be  permanently  located,  will  be  a  question  for  the  approaching 
Synod  of  Lancaster  to  decide. 

The  Synod  which  met  in  Lancaster  the  following  month  de- 
cided that  the  printing  establishment  should  be  located  in  Phila- 
delphia and  that  the  Church  should  raise  $60,000  for  its  use,  but 
secured  no  one  to  look  after  the  matter  specially.  A  year  passed 
but  very  little  money  came  in  and  at  the  Synod  of  Lewisburg, 
October,  1865,  it  was  decided  that  a  general  agent  should  be 
elected  to  look  after  the  raising  of  this  money.  The  committee 
appointed  to  nominate  a  man,  chose  Benjamin  Bausman,  who 
consented  to  the  election  on  condition  that  his  Consistory  would 
acquiesce  in  it,  which  they  did. 

The  following  letter  throws  light  on  the  situation  and  shows 
how  he  addressed  himself  to  his  task: 

Reading,  November  3,  1865. 
My  dear  Steiner, 

You  know  the  trick  Synod  played  on  me.  By  the  help  of  God 
and  my  brethren  I  will  play  one  on  her.  I  vainly  tried  to  get 
rid  of  the  grasp  of  the  sorrowing  and  sinking  "establishment," 
which  has  the  peculiarity  of  some  drowning  men — it  catches  at  a 
straw  in  its  drowning  state,  and  an  uncommonly  poor  straw  at 


READING,    FIRST   CHURCH 


205 


that.  There  is  a  crisis  upon  us.  A  debt  of  S20,000,  after  our 
property  has  been  destroyed,  threatens  to  ruin  us.  The  Board 
of  Managers  say,  something  must  soon  be  done  or  the  thing  will 
be  put  "under  the  hammer." 

The  letter  goes  on  pleading  that  Dr.  Steiner  should  attempt  to 
raise  $1,000  or  $2,000  ui  the  Frederick  congregation  and  con- 
cludes : 

I  know  of  no  man  that  can  do  it,  but  yourself;  neither  do  you. 
If  you  do,  name  him. 

Yesterday  evening  and  this  morning  I  procured  $2,750.     The 
Philadelphia  brethren  have  doubled  their  subs,  to  $1,000.     Now, 
will  you  allow  me  to  send  you  a  commission  for  your  congrega- 
tion?    Then  I  shall  be  as  heretofore,  only  a  little  more  so. 
Yours,  with  true  grit  and  grasp, 

Bausman. 

The  next  few  months  he  energetically  pushed  the  work  and 
raised  in  cash  and  subscriptions  $18,000. 

It  was  at  the  close  of  the  year  1867,  that  the  career  of  Dr. 
Harbaugh  came  to  its  untimely  end.  Mr.  Bausman  received  a 
telegram  announcing  his  death  as  he  was  retiring  and  we  read  in 
his  diary  this  exclamation,  "Wept  in  bed!  0  what  a  loss!" 
He  participated  in  the  services  at  his  friend's  funeral,  preached 
a  tender  sermon  on  his  life  and  work,  wrote  two  articles  "In 
Memoriam"  and  edited  and  published  the  Pennsylvania  German 
poems  of  this  "sincere  and  fast  friend,  who  seemed  like  an  'elder 
brother'  and  whose  heart  with  watchful  tenderness,  followed  us 
from  the  moment  when  we  'first  became  acquaint.'" 

The  suggestion  to  publish  these  poems  came  first  from  Dr. 
W.  A.  Passavant  of  the  Lutheran  church,  Pittsburg,  who  wrote 
to  Dr.  Schaff  in  warmest  appreciation  of  them,  and  urged  him  to 
bring  out  the  work.  Dr.  Schaff  immediately  laid  this  "tender- 
spirited  letter  with  its  pious  request"  on  Mr.  Bausman's  heart, 
insisting,  "You  are  the  man  to  edit  the  volume."  This  sugges- 
tion was  made  in  the  summer  of  1868  and  was  soon  widely  re- 
enforced  by  leading  men  not  only  in  America  but  in  Europe  as 
well,  and  Mr.  Bausman  was  turned  to  as  the  man  to  do  the  work. 

"Gen.  Spinner  of  the  Treasury  Department  at  Washington, 
Judge  Woodward  and  others  of  like  note,   press  the  matter," 


206  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

wrote  Mr.  Bausman  to  Dr.  J.  H.  Dubbs  to  whom  he  called, 
"Hilf,  Bruder,  hilf.  "*  The  several  men  who  variously  assisted 
in  the  work  are  recognized  in  the  "Vorrede"t  and  Dr.  Schaff's 
advice  on  various  points  was  sought.  He  had  agreed  to  write 
the  introduction  but  was  "taxed  to  the  utmost  of  his  working 
power"  and  that  part  was  done  by  Mr.  Bausman  himself.  In 
answer  to  the  inquiry  as  to  where  the  book  should  be  issued,  Dr. 
Schaff  replied: 

It  ought  to  be  published  in  Philadelphia  rather  than  New  York. 
It  is  a  book  for  the  Pennsylvania  Germans,  who  differ  very  much 
from  the  European  Germans  here.  The  book  would  get  the 
"Heemweh"!  here,  as  Harbaugh  himself  did  on  a  brief  visit  in 
1860. 

The  book  was  under  way  by  the  beginning  of  1869  and  ap- 
peared the  following  year — published  very  properly  and  beau- 
tifully by  the  Reformed  Church  Publication  Board.  We  read 
in  his  diary,  June  20,  1870:  "Received  first  copy  of  'Harbaugh's 
Harfe.'  Singular  feelings  in  looking  at  one's  own  book  for  the 
first  time.     Looks  and  reads  superblJ^" 

This  judgment  of  the  editor  was  in  accord  with  the  feeling  of 
the  public,  for  within  four  weeks,  the  second  edition  was  pub- 
lished and  the  editor  of  the  Messenger  said  of  it: 

No  publication  has  yet  been  issued  from  our  office  which  has 
met  with  a  more  favorable  reception.  It  is  largely  sought  after 
from  every  quarter.  The  notices  also  which  have  been  taken  of 
it  are  of  the  most  flattering  kind. 

An  order  for  this  work  was  received  from  the  great  London 
book  publisher,  Triibner,  accompanied  with  the  expression  of  a 
favorable  opinion  and  of  his  purpose  to  endeavor  to  circulate  it 
as  widely  as  possible  through  the  Continent. 

The  book  was  hailed  as 

making  a  new  epoch  in  Pennsylvania  German  literature  and  was 
most  favorably  received  by  the  entire  literary  public.  Though 
many  fugitive  pieces  have  been  during  a  long  series  of  years, 
written  and  published  in  this  language,  yet  no  umformity  has 

*Help,  brother,  help. 

t  Preface. 

j  Homesickness. 


READING,    FIRST    CHURCH  207 

heretofore  been  observed  on  the  score  of  orthography.  The  editor, 
aided  by  several  persons  competent  to  the  task,  as  a  result  of 
repeated  mutual  conferences,  reduced  the  orthography  of  the 
language  to  a  system  and  prepared  a  glossary,  which  is  published 
at  the  end  of  the  book. 

Of  the  many  attempts  to  produce  something  of  independent 
Hterary  excellence  in  this  dialect  only  the  poems  of  the  late  Dr. 
Harbaugh,  of  the  German  Reformed  Church  can  claim  positive 
merit, 

said  the  Penn  Monthly. 

The  New  York  Nation  remarked: 

As  compared  to  the  other  productions  in  the  same  dialect,  of 
which  several  have  recently  been  mentioned  in  the  Nation  and 
afterward  attracted  attention  both  abroad  and  at  home,  "Har- 
baugh's  Harfe"  is  a  world  ahead. 

The  New  York  Standard  said : 

Mr.  Bausman  in  his  zeal  for  Dr.  Harbaugh's  family  and  his  love 
for  the  memory  of  his  dead  friend,  as  well  as  in  his  reverence  for 
the  language  that  was  taught  him  in  childhood,  has  done  the 
world  a  good  service  by  preserving  the  most  beautiful  and  tender 
things  ever  uttered  in  that  tongue.  It  is  a  dialect  now  practically 
banished  from  the  school,  and  soon  it  will  disappear  from  the 
fireside.  Then  this  volume  will  be  a  record  no  less  valuable 
than  Longfellow's  poem  of  "  Miles  Standish, "  and  no  less  touching 
than  Whittier's  ballads  of  New  England. 

All  who  are  in  any  way  interested  in  the  dialect  will  thank  Mr. 
Bausman  for  this  collection  and  in  it  they  will  discern  the  evi- 
dences of  his  own  scholarship  as  well  as  the  quaint  beauties  of 
the  Pennsylvania  poet. 

Aside  from  the  mere  curiosities  presented  by  the  volume,  there 
are  certain  philological  points  made  that  commend  themselves 
to  the  attention  of  experts.  The  work  is  altogether  one  that  will 
command  deserved  regard. 

During  the  commencement  season,  June,  1871,  Franklin  and 
Marshall  College  conferred  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Divinity  upon  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bausman.  The  degree  of  A.  M.  had 
previously  been  conferred.  He  was  at  first  averse  to  having  his 
friends  address  him  by  the  title.     Dr.  Nevin  wrote  him: 

Your  new  honor  will  soon  sit  so  naturally  on  you  that  you  will 
hardly  feel  it  at  all;  and  Dr.  Bausman  instead  of  simple  Mr.  B. 
will  sound  to  yourself,  as  well  as  to  others,  very  much  as  if  it  had 


208  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

belonged  to  you  all  your  life.     We  are  creatures  of  habit,  and  can 
get  used  to  almost  anything. 

Dr.  Bausman  continued  as  pastor  of  the  First  Church  until 
the  end  of  the  year  1872.  As  the  work  of  erecting  St.  Paul's  went 
on  he  was  filled  with  much  joy  and  peace  at  seeing  finally  ac- 
complished this  realization  of  his  hopes,  prayers  and  efforts. 
Making  the  usual  register  of  his  feelings  at  the  turn  of  the  year, 
he  wrote  this  in  the  diary  of  January  1,  1872:  "Feel  cheerful  and 
thankful  for  God's  many  mercies — much  more  encouraged  than 
a  year  ago." 

The  corner-stone  of  the  new  St.  Paul's  Church  had  been  laid 
in  August,  1871,  and  a  year  later  the  chapel  was  dedicated  with 
impressive  and  inspiring  services,  after  which  Dr.  Bausman 
preached  regularly  in  St.  Paul's,  while  Prof.  John  S.  Stahr,  who 
was  ordained  and  installed  his  assistant,  officiated  in  the  old 
church.  As  he  entered  upon  this  new  arrangement,  he  ex- 
claimed: "  Feel  so  thankful ! "  And  on  Christmas  Day :  "Feel 
exceedingly  peaceful, — unusually  so."  December  9:  "Handed 
in  my  resignation  as  pastor  of  the  First  Church;  accepted. 
Nine  years  I  labored  here.  Through  all  trials,  God  mercifully 
helped  me." 

Prof.  Stahr 's  ministries  in  the  old  church  were  most  acceptable. 
Dr.  Bausman  wanted  him  for  his  successor  and  he  would  with- 
out doubt  have  been  elected.  The  following  letter  explains  the 
situation  and  shows  how  near  a  great  career  was  to  being  side- 
tracked. It  is  a  pleasure  to  record  the  tribute  of  one  college 
president  to  a  successor  no  less  beloved. 

Lancaster,  December  20,  1872. 
Rev.  Dr.  Bausman. 

My  Dear  Sir: 

I  am  sorry  to  throw  cold  water  on  your  idea  of  stealing  Prof. 
Stahr,  but  it  won't  do.  The  object  you  have  in  view  is  of  great 
public  concern,  no  doubt,  but  the  greatest  of  all  objects  now  for 
our  Church  is  the  speedy  bona  fide  upbuilding  of  Franklin  and 
Marshall  College.  Without  that,  the  sooner  we  shut  up  shop, 
the  better.  Even  the  Theological  Seminary  is  of  less  vital  ac- 
count. After  years  of  miserable  dawdling,  the  Church  has  got 
into  something  like  right  position  at  last  for  doing  here  what 
should  have  been  done  ten  years  ago.     But  the  work  is  not  yet 


READING,    FIRST   CHURCH  209 

done.  We  are  still  floundering  in  a  sea  of  what  is  mostly  yet  un- 
profitable promise  and  talk.  It  has  been  like  making  bricks  with- 
out straw,  only  to  keep  the  College  going  with  any  sort  of  efficient, 
respectable  organization.  I  have  worked  Stahr  into  place 
through  years  past  in  spite  of  difficulties  thrown  in  my  way  by 
the  Board  itself,  and  now  assuredly  he  is  for  us,  the  right  man  in 
the  right  place,  and  I  must  solemnly  protest  against  any  attempt 
to  get  him  into  any  other  place.  He  fills  satisfactorily  two  posts 
that  it  has  always  been  a  bore  to  get  rightly  occupied,  viz.:  Ger- 
man and  Natural  Science.  We  can't  go  out  and  pick  up  such 
service  any  day.  It  would  sicken  me  of  my  work  completely, 
only  to  think  of  being  bothered  over  again  as  we  have  been,  even 
with  the  German  difficulty  alone.  Do  let  us  in  this  matter  then, 
as  General  Grant  says,  have  peace! 

Yours  affectionately, 

J.  W.  Nevin. 

While  pastor  of  the  First  Church,  Dr.  Bausman  baptized  769 
persons,  confirmed  834,  received  into  the  membership  by  cer- 
tificate and  renewal  of  profession  365,  and  officiated  at  538 
funerals  and  at  246  weddings — certainly  an  impressive  array  of 
statistics  for  nine  years'  labor,  from  whose  burdens  he  was  com- 
forted at  being  relieved. 

With  the  close  of  the  First  Church  pastorate,  he  summed  up 
for  the  readers  of  his  Hausfreund  the  facts  and  figures  of  his 
"Twenty  Years  in  the  Ministry."  He  had  baptized  874,  con- 
firmed 928,  received  by  certificate  and  renewal  of  profession, 
407.  During  this  score  of  years  he  had  conducted  3,122  public 
religious  services  and  he  estimated  that  what  he  had  written  for 
the  press  would  make  at  least  ten  volumes  of  500  pages  each. 


14 


CHAPTER  XI 

St.  Paul's  Church— 1873-1900 

THE  formal  organization  of  St.  Paul's  Church  was  effected 
on  December  26,  1872,  when  church  officers  were  duly- 
elected.  There  were  204  charter  members.  Dr.  Bausman  was 
elected  pastor  on  January  6,  1873.  46  were  confirmed  on  the 
following  Good  Friday  and  400  communed  on  Easter.  By  the 
end  of  the  year,  there  were  410  members.  The  organization  of 
St.  Paul's  Sunday-school  came  six  months  after  that  of  the 
congregation  and  by  the  beginning  of  the  year  1874,  there  was 
an  enrollment  of  383.  Within  a  few  months  after  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  church,  four  societies — missionary,  social  and  bene- 
ficial— ^were  started  to  enlist  in  definite  Christian  work,  the 
various  elements  in  the  church's  membership.  During  this  first 
year  of  St.  Paul's  history  the  services  were  held  in  the  Sunday- 
school  chapel,  while  the  church  proper  was  building.  The  com- 
pleted edifice,  costing  about  $90,000.00,  was  consecrated  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1874,  amid  a  week  of  notable  and  inspiring  services  in 
which  distinguished  ministers  of  the  denomination  took  part. 
Thus  was  auspiciously  begun  one  of  the  truly  great  pastorates 
of  modern  days  in  the  organization  of  this  church,  which  Dr. 
Calvin  S.  Gerhard  twenty-five  years  later  pronounced 

a  congregation  whose  superior  the  writer  has  never  known: 
thoroughly  organized,  rich  in  good  works,  ready  to  distribute, 
devoted  to  the  cause  of  the  widow  and  the  orphan,  giving  liberally 
to  Home  and  Foreign  Missions,  to  our  literary  and  theological 
institutions  and  to  all  the  other  benevolent  operations  of  the 
Church. 

When  Dr.  Bausman  was  installed  as  pastor  of  St.  Paul's,  he 

had  just  turned  forty-nine — a  period  of  fife  when,  in  the  case  of 

many  ministers,  the  dead  line  is  spoken  of.     Never  the  slightest 

trace  of  that  dread  mark  fell  across  his  path — not  during  the 

210 


ST.   PAUL'S   MEMORIAL  REFORMED  CHURCH 


ST.  Paul's  church  211 

twenty-seven  and  a  half  years  during  which  he  preached  with 
increasing  efficiency,  bearing  the  pastoral  burden  alone,  nor  yet 
during  the  nine  succeeding  years  of  the  associate  pastorate  until, 
finally  warm  and  active,  he  fell  with  his  harness  on. 

As  one  scans  the  diaries  of  those  days  he  discerns  the  note 
of  quietness  and  peace  in  Dr.  Bausman's  life,  so  welcome  after 
the  bitter  battles  in  the  former  charge. 

On  his  installation  we  read:  "Services  solemn  and  very  com- 
forting to  me;"  at  the  church  dedication:  "Beautiful  day, 
great  joy!" 

The  supreme  blessing  of  his  life  came  in  his  marriage,  when  he 
could  say:  "Feel  sweetly  at  home.  Praise  God."  He  was 
married  to  Miss  Amelia  Bingaman  on  April  6,  1875.  The  cere- 
mony was  performed  in  St.  Paul's  Church,  Drs.  C.  F.  McCauley 
and  Henry  Mosser  officiating. 

The  building  and  training  of  St.  Paul's  congregation  was  Dr. 
Bausman's  greatest  achievement.  Just  because  he  made  its 
life  so  rich  and  deep  and  true,  there  are  the  fewer  things  to  be 
said  about  it.  The  real  record  of  Christian  fruitage  can  be 
written  alone  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life. 

The  church's  growth  was  steady  and  substantial.  After  ten 
years  the  membership  was  600;  in  five  years  more,  690;  after 
twenty  years  there  were  700  and  after  twenty-five  years,  750 
communicant  members  of  the  church,  and  in  the  Sunday-school 
567  enrolled,  of  whom  75  were  officers  and  teachers. 

Said  Dr.  Bausman  at  the  quarter  centennial  of  the   church: 

During  these  twenty-five  years,  I  conducted  over  4,000  ser- 
vices, including  funeral  services.  I  baptized  779  persons  and 
confirmed  1,348.  I  buried  334  confirmed  and  unconfirmed 
members,  and  dismissed  to  other  churches  263,  and  among  these, 
144  were  dismissed  to  Reading  churches. 

When  St.  Paul's  Church  was  planned  originally,  it  was  estim- 
ated to  cost  about  S50,000.00,  but  the  sum  on  its  completion  in 
1874  had  swelled  to  nearly  twice  that  amount.  Mr.  Daniel 
Miller  in  his  History  says: 

The  work  was  performed  during  high  times,  which  accounted 
for  the  great  cost.     Besides  this,  the  financial  panic  of  1873  came 


212  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

when  the  church  was  about  completed.  Many  people  lost  their 
employment  or  had  their  wages  reduced,  and  business  men  gener- 
ally found  their  incomes  greatly  curtailed.  Under  these  circum- 
stances the  debt  became  a  heavy  burden.  But  the  people  held 
firmly  together  and  made  many  sacrifices  for  the  cause,  and  no 
one  made  greater  sacrifices  than  pastor  Bausman,  whose  salary 
during  a  number  of  years  was  at  his  own  request  fixed  at  a  low 
figure,  and  who  at  the  same  time  contributed  liberally  toward  the 
payment  of  the  debt. 

This  debt  was  gradually  reduced  but  not  liquidated  by  1893, 
when  an  addition  was  built  to  the  church  for  Sunday-school 
purposes  at  a  cost  of  $15,000.00,  which  amount  was  promptly 
paid.  In  connection  with  the  25th  anniversary  the  $11,500.00 
remaining  on  the  original  debt  was  finally  subscribed  and  paid. 
By  that  date,  the  congregation  had  contributed  nearly  .$300,000 
to  all  purposes,  of  which  $82,800.00  was  "for  benevolent  gifts, 
missions,  Orphan's  Home,  church  extension,  colleges  and  sem- 
inaries." 

The  pressing  local  financial  demands  in  St.  Paul's  Church  were 
never  allowed  to  interfere  with  the  calls  of  the  denomination 
and  the  needy  world.  Apportionments  were  always  fully  met 
and  were  considered  only  the  minimum  of  benevolent  giving. 
Dr.  Bausman's  teaching  on  this  point  was  backed  up  by  his 
example  in  giving.  At  a  recent  missionary  meeting,  Mr.  Jacob 
B.  Fricker  affirmed  that  the  heavy  yoke  St.  Paul's  bore  in  her 
youth  proved  her  greatest  blessing.  Mr.  Daniel  Miller  says  in 
his  book:  "Heroic  sacrifices  were  required  and  by  making  these 
the  people  cultivated  the  beautiful  grace  of  giving  which  became 
permanent. " 

Near  the  close  of  the  century  when  St.  Paul's  debts  were  all 
paid,  Dr.  Bausman  referred  to  her  trying  times: 

It  was  no  light  matter  promptly  to  meet  all  expenses.  Fac- 
tional strife  and  a  lack  of  financial  support  among  the  members 
might  have  resulted  in  dishonor  and  disaster.  In  this  too,  I  can 
trace  God's  controUing  hand  and  that  He  brought  us  through 
those  years  of  trial,  and  that  to-day  St.  Paul's  has  an  unblemished 
financial  record. 

During  the  dark  days  of  financial  depression,  he  was  not  al- 


ST.  Paul's  church  213 

ways  able  to  avoid  worrying  about  the  debt;  but  his  strong  men 
stood  by  and  comforted  him — "Don't  worry,  we'll  pay  it." 

While  the  success  and  tone  of  this  church  will  be  attributed 
most  largely  to  the  spirit  of  its  great  pastor  it  must  be  said  too 
that  the  make-up  of  the  membership  and  the  circumstances  of 
the  church's  founding  were  also  exceptional.  The  198  of  the 
charter  members  who  came  from  the  old  First  Church  and  the 
hundred  or  more  who  soon  followed  from  the  same  congregation 
were  a  picked  group.  They  were  young  in  years,  for  the  most 
part,  as  well  as  young  in  spirit,  a  homogeneous  company  full  of 
enthusiasm,  faith  and  courage.  Indeed,  something  of  the  heroic 
was  required  to  cast  in  one's  lot  with  the  new  project  in  which  a 
heavy  financial  burden  had  to  be  assumed.  They  were  loyally 
devoted  to  Dr.  Bausman  and  ready  to  follow  wherever  he  would 
lead.  He  could  ask  great  things  of  them  and  did,  but  he  never 
abused  their  confidence  in  him  by  demanding  more  than  they 
were  ready  or  able  to  do.  He  was  too  wise  a  leader  to  make  that 
mistake.  Thus,  in  the  founding  of  St.  Paul's,  Dr.  Bausman  had 
a  docile  and  responsive  membership  with  a  high  standard  of 
Christian  life  and  work  and  they  set  the  pace  for  the  future,  and 
became  a  tonic  example  to  the  denomination  and  to  the  other 
churches  in  the  community. 

Dr.  Bausman  was  always  on  the  alert  for  effective  methods  in 
church  work.  He  was  no  stickler  for  pet  plans.  When  new 
occasions  taught  new  duties  and  called  for  new  methods  he  was 
ready  to  make  trial  of  them. 

The  beneficial  societies  above  referred  to  as  begun  with  the 
founding  of  St.  Paul's  were  a  Brotherhood  and  a  Sisterhood. 
Monthly  dues  were  paid  and  sick  and  death  benefits  disbursed. 
He  held  that  beneficial  societies  could  be  conducted  most  eco- 
nomically in  connection  with  the  church,  and  when  made  up 
only  of  church  members.  They  would  serve,  moreover,  as  an 
additional  bond  in  church  fellowship.  These  societies  have  con- 
tinued in  the  congregation  to  the  present. 

The  mid-week  prayer-meeting  always  received  emphasis  in 
the  church  life.  On  their  wedding  trip.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Bausman 
had  visited  the  Fulton  Street  noonday  prayer-meeting  in  New 
York  City  and  were  much  impressed  by  it.     On  their  return  a 


214  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

meeting  for  prayer  before  the  Sunday  evening  service  was  started. 
Ten  years  later  in  1885,  a  Young  Men's  Association  was  organ- 
ized and  its  members  conducted  the  Sunday  evening  prayer- 
meeting.  This  was  the  decade  when  the  young  people's  move- 
ment was  asserting  itself  in  the  churches  and  Dr.  Bausman 
showed  himself  responsive  to  it.  He  was  a  friend  of  young  men, 
and  they  were  drawn  to  him.  He  preached  special  sermons  for 
them.  A  special  feature  in  the  church's  life  every  winter  was 
the  anniversary  of  the  Y.  M.  A.,  when  a  visiting  minister  would 
preach. 

Years  afterward  when  a  convention  of  the  Brotherhood  of 
Andrew  and  Philip  was  held  in  Reading,  an  enthusiastic  propa- 
gandist approached  him  in  the  hope  of  starting  a  chapter  in  St. 
Paul's.  "Why,  my  dear  brother,"  he  said,  "we  have  such  a 
society  in  my  church;  it  is  older  than  your  society;  it  is  doing  good 
work,  why  should  we  change?" 

When  Calvary  and  St.  Andrew's  Churches  were  founded,  they 
organized  Young  Men's  Associations  also,  modeled  after  that  of 
St.  Paul's.  During  the  associate  pastorate  the  Association  at 
St.  Paul's  was  merged  into  a  Christian  Endeavor  Society. 

During  the  days  of  the  mission  Sunday-schools,  it  was  his 
custom  first  to  open  St.  Paul's  school  and  then  hasten  to  one  or 
more  of  the  mission  schools.  After  St.  Paul's  building  was  en- 
larged in  1893,  and  the  mission  schools  had  developed  into 
churches.  Dr.  Bausman  was  importuned  by  the  adults  of  the 
church  to  become  the  teacher  of  a  Bible  Class  in  the  new  room 
available  for  such  purpose.  With  some  reluctance  he  consented, 
found  great  joy  in  it  and  continued  its  teacher  to  the  end  of  his 
life.  After  the  teaching  of  the  Sunday-school  lesson,  he  as  a 
rule  gave  a  brief  address  on  some  phase  of  the  day's  study.  These 
talks  were  pithy  and  practical,  happily  spoken  and  much  enjoyed. 
"They  are  as  good  as  sermons,"  the  people  would  say. 

When  pastor  of  the  First  Church,  that  he  might  the  better 
keep  in  touch  with  the  throngs  of  young  people  who  became 
members,  he  held  annual  catechumen's  reunions  before  the  Easter 
seasons.  He  did  the  same  in  St.  Paul's,  having  the  meeting  as 
a  rule  on  Tuesday  evening  of  Holy  Week.  Many  other  pastors 
followed   Dr.    Bausman's   example   and   have   inaugurated   the 


ST.  Paul's  church  215 

same  custom.  In  these  reunions  he  called  attention  especially 
to  those  who  had  missed  no  communions  through  the  years  and 
thus  challenged  his  converts  to  faithfulness.  He  kept  a  careful 
record  of  various  facts  concerning  his  catechumens  as  he  would 
sum  them  up  at  these  gatherings  from  year  to  year. 

Next  in  importance  to  Dr.  Bausman's  work  as  pastor  of  St. 
Paul's  was  his  far-sighted  leadership  in  the  locating  and  organiz- 
ing of  Sunday-schools  and  churches  throughout  the  city  of 
Reading.  So  wisely  distributed  are  these  churches,  that  there 
is  a  sanctuary  of  the  Reformed  denomination  within  six  or  seven 
squares  of  every  home  in  the  city.  Regarding  these  church  ex- 
tension activities,  the  following  strong  words  are  written  by  Hon. 
Geo.  F.  Baer,  a  member  of  the  Second  Reformed  Church  of 
Reading: 

This  week,  St.  Paul's  celebrates  her  twenty-fifth  anniversary, 
with  her  mighty  leader  in  vigorous  old  age  still  ministering  unto 
them  in  holy  things.  When  Dr.  Bausman  came  to  Reading, 
there  were  two  Reformed  congregations;  now  there  are  fourteen. 
He  is  the  last  man  on  earth  to  claim  this  development  as  sub- 
stantially due  to  himself.  It  is  nevertheless  true,  that  by  com- 
mon consent,  he  is  accorded  the  first  place,  the  leadership.  Others 
have  worked  earnestly  and  heroically.  Their  labors  have  borne 
fruitful  results;  but  the  gentle,  prudent,  far-seeing,  self-sacrificing 
man  to  whom  all  have  gone,  and  who  unconsciously  controlled 
and  directed,  was  Dr.  Bausman.  I  know  no  man  who  has  ac- 
complished more  for  the  good  of  his  Church  and  his  fellowmen. 

On  the  same  occasion,  reviewing  the  history  of  St.  Paul's,  Dr. 
Bausman  said: 

This  congregation  was  started  to  demonstrate  the  principles 
and  feasibility  of  missionary  colonization.  To  the  four  Reformed 
churches  which  have  been  built  in  the  city  by  your  efforts,  we 
have  given  many  of  the  best  of  our  people,  and  between  $25,000 
and  $30,000  of  your  money. 

To-day  it  is  exactly  twenty-five  years  since  our  church  was 
organized.  The  document  that  was  put  in  the  corner-stone,  when 
it  was  laid,  presented  four  principles,  which  were  adopted  when 
read  at  the  laying: 

The  first  was  that  the  pure,  living  gospel,  as  it  is  conceived  by 
us,  should  be  taught  to  others  and  the  knowledge  of  Him  should 
be  spread  abroad.     The  second  was  that  the  church  is  the  centre 


216  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

of  good  love  and  fellowship.  This  we  should  try  to  carry  out  in 
congregational  life.  Another  principle  was  that  it  invoked  the 
Angel  of  the  Everlasting  Covenant  to  watch  over  the  people. 
Again,  we  should  try  to  advance  the  kingdom  of  God. 

I  tried  to  do  that  by  organizing  this  church  and  other  churches 
in  the  city. 

We  have  seen  how,  when  he  was  pastor  of  the  First  Church, 
several  mission  schools  were  started,  St.  John's  Church  was 
established  and  a  Sunday-school  association,  including  the 
officers  and  teachers  of  all  the  schools  of  the  denomination  in  the 
city,  was  conducted  for  the  advancement  of  the  Reformed 
churches  and  the  mutual  profit  of  all  interested.  Enthusiastic 
anniversaries  were  held,  and  until  1879  this  association  exercised 
supervision  over  the  mission  schools.  Thereafter  each  of  the 
three  strong  central  churches  assumed  a  definite  section  of  the 
city  for  missionary  oversight.  In  accordance  with  this  arrange- 
ment, St.  Mark's  and  Olivet  were  founded  by  the  First  Church, 
and  Faith  and  St.  James  came  under  the  fostering  care  of  the 
Second  Church.  Zion's,  St.  Stephen's,  Calvary  and  St.  Andrew's 
are  the  four  churches  above  referred  to  by  Dr.  Bausman  as  hav- 
ing been  built  by  St.  Paul's;  although  each  and  all  of  the  younger 
churches  in  the  city  profited  definitely  and  directly  by  the  in- 
spiration, counsel  and  open-handed  generosity  of  Dr.  Bausman. 

Zion's  Church,  founded  in  the  interest  of  the  Germans,  and 
St.  Stephen's  Church,  the  outgrowth  of  a  Sunday-school,  started 
in  1864,  were  organized  in  the  early  eighties.  St.  Andrew's 
Sunday-school  was  begun  in  1885. 

When  Dr.  Bausman  proposed  the  building  of  Calvary  Church, 
he  was  strongly  opposed  by  persons  who  claimed  that  the  move- 
ment was  premature.  There  was  as  yet  no  Sunday-school 
there  and  that  section  of  the  city  was  then  not  very  populous, 
but  he  saw  that  it  would  soon  be  built  up,  for  the  drift  of  popula- 
tion was  in  that  direction.  The  future  fully  justified  his  wisdom 
in  the  matter. 

We  read  in  the  diary  for  June,  1888: 

Our  committee  on  the  Centre  Avenue  Church  staked  off  the 
ground  for  the  building.  I  drove  in.  four  stakes,  one  at  each 
corner,  with  devout  and  joyful  gratitude  to  God.    J.  B.  Fricker, 


ST.  Paul's  church  217 

G.  A,  Leinbach,  W.  H.  Dechant  and  James  Rick  are  the  build- 
ing committee.  I  make  myself  financially  responsible  for  the 
whole  matter,  until  it  can  be  handed  over  to  a  congregation. 
O  Lord,  help  us  to  do  it  all  for  Thy  great  glory.     Amen. 

After  the  dedication  of  the  church,  the  following  summer,  and 
the  organization  of  the  Sunday-school,  Dr.  Bausman  appointed 
a  superintendent  in  the  person  of  C.  M.  Dechant.  Dr.  Bausman 
held  the  church  property  in  his  own  name  until  the  new  pastor, 
Dr.  Jas.  I.  Good,  came,  and  the  congregation  assumed  the  debt. 
The  building  committee,  meantime,  made  themselves  responsible 
for  the  pastor's  salary  until  the  congregation  was  formally 
organized. 

Simultaneously,  with  the  erection  of  Calvary  Church,  the 
building  of  St.  Andrew's  was  undertaken  and  in  similar  fashion 
Dr.  Bausman  and  the  splendid  lajTnen  who  served  on  the  building 
committee  with  him,  financed  the  whole  undertaking,  called  the 
pastor,  the  Rev.  Stanley  L.  Krebs,  and  kept  the  movement  in 
hand  until  the  congregation  was  organized  and  on  its  feet. 

We  read  in  the  diary  for  Trinity  Sunday,  1889: 

Joseph  A.  Leinbach  called  on  me  proposing  that  he  and  his 
brother  George  would  give  $1,500  for  buying  ground  to  build 
another  Reformed  church  on  Spruce  Street,  near  Perkiomen 
Avenue.  Gott  lob!  Now,  we  can  go  forward  with  this  blessed 
enterprise.  Have  prayed  for  and  worked  at  this  matter  for 
nearly  a  year  past.  Will  give  $1,500  to  it  ($1,000  for  myself 
and  $500  from  the  Hausfreund  fund). 

In  the  location  of  this  church.  Dr.  Bausman  likewise  showed 
his  good  judgment.  There  were  those  who  argued  for  the  erec- 
tion of  the  church  on  Cotton  Street,  where  St.  Andrew's  Sunday- 
school  was  started,  or  at  least,  closer  to  Neversink  Mountain. 
There  have  been  others  who  claimed  that  the  church  should  have 
been  located  closer  to  Mount  Penn.  In  either  case,  the  church 
would  have  appealed  more  exclusively  to  one  class  of  people, 
which  is  never  wise,  for  above  all  of  the  church  should  it  be 
said  in  the  words  of  Scripture:  "The  rich  and  the  poor  meet 
together.     The  Lord  is  the  maker  of  them  all." 

Dr.  Bausman  gave  personally  in  establishing  Calvary  Church 
over  $1,100.00  and  to  St.  Andrew's  $2,000.00. 


218  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

The  method  of  carrying  on  this  church  extension  work  was 
unique.  Neither  St,  Paul's  congregation  nor  Consistory  were 
ever  asked  to  assume  financial  responsibility.  It  was  all  done 
by  the  free  challenge  and  giving  of  individuals.  By  common 
consent,  to  Dr.  Bausman  was  accorded  authority  akin  to  that  of 
a  Bishop.  He  moved  promptly  and  took  time  by  the  forelock, 
where  a  deliberative  body  would  have  debated  and  delayed  and 
missed  its  chance.  Of  course,  he  could  not  have  done  this  work 
so  well  without  his  financial  resources.  He  gave  his  money 
without  stint  and  thereby  was  able  to  challenge  his  laymen,  who 
fortunately  were  men  of  the  true  missionary  spirit. 

The  years  immediately  preceeding  and  following  1890  saw  six 
or  seven  of  Reading's  churches  in  their  beginnings  and  the  good 
report  thereof  was  spread  abroad.  The  Rev.  A.  R.  Bartholomew, 
who  preached  at  the  ordination  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Krebs,  January 
25,  1891,  at  St.  Andrew's,  wrote  of  the  work: 

Let  pastors  and  people  who  fret  and  worry  about  the  present 
progress  and  future  prospects  of  our  dear  Zion,  visit  Reading, 
the  Mecca  of  the  Reformed  Church,  and  they  will  find  a  speedy 
remedy  and  a  permanent  cure  for  their  groundless  misapprehen- 
sions. 

Strange  to  say,  St.  Andrew's,  like  Calvary,  has  been  built, 
without  a  congregation  to  worship  in  it.  These  magnificent 
structures  are  the  product  of  that  faith  which  worketh  by  love. 
They  are  the  fruit  of  the  piety  and  fidelity  of  our  beloved  brother, 
Dr.  Bausman,  and  a  circle  of  warm  hearts,  wise  heads  and  willing 
hands. 

One  of  the  remarkable  features  of  church  work  in  Reading  is 
the  spirit  of  self-help  and  help-others,  which  the  pastor  and 
people  display.  No  appeals  are  issued  outside  of  the  city  for 
help  in  building  churches,  or  in  supporting  their  pastors,  while  at 
the  same  time,  the  cause  of  Home  and  Foreign  Missions  finds 
liberal  supporters  there. 

St.  Thomas'  Church,  in  process  of  building,  fell  into  alarming 
financial  straits.  About  this  time  Dr.  Bausman  took  the  situa- 
tion very  much  to  heart,  though  he  was  not  the  prime  mover 
in  this  church's  organization.  "The  affair  has  hung  over  me 
like  a  heavy  cloud,"  he  wrote,  and  again: 

This  matter  at  times  has  weighed  very  heavily  upon  me,  by 
day  and  by  night.     Now  and  then,  I  wrestled  with  God  on  my 


ST.  Paul's  church  219 

knees  in  some  secret  place — even  in  the  dead  of  night.  Cannot 
permit  that  any  person  should  lose  aught  by  it.  Feel  mentally 
and  physically  more  comfortable  to-day  about  the  matter. 

Borrowed  $1,000  of  which  I  will  pay  $500  to-morrow  to  relieve 
the    treasury. 

Several  days  later: 

I  called  on  Dr.  A.  S.  Leinbach  with  a  blank  book,  suggested  a 
suitable  heading  for  subscriptions  for  St.  Thomas  Church.  He 
subscribed  $2,000;  his  son.  Rev.  J.  H.  Leinbach,  $2,000,  and  I, 
$2,000.  I  bless  God  that  we  have  this  much  to  start  the  new 
subscription. 

During  this  church  building  era  in  Reading,  St.  Paul's  did  not 
increase  much  numerically,  as  we  see  by  the  figures  in  the  early 
part  of  this  chapter,  for  scores  of  the  best  and  most  prominent 
members  were  dismissed  to  unite  with  the  new  organizations,  in 
which  many  of  them  became  leaders.  Nevertheless,  the  con- 
gregation grew  in  loyalty  and  efficiency.  They  gave  much  away 
and  hence  became  rich  toward  God. 

As  these  sanctuaries  rise  and  congregations  form  under  Dr. 
Bausman's  directive  hand,  he  thrills  with  exhilaration  at  the  suc- 
cess of  the  ventures  and  he  works  with  ease  and  power — withal 
is  filled  with  great  gladness  and  gratitude. 

After  the  dedication  of  one  of  the  churches,  this: 

My  thankful  heart  cannot  express  all  its  joy  and  gratitude. 
O  Lord,  thou  knowest. 

On  a  birthday: 

Feel  oppressed  with  a  sense  of  God's  goodness  in  the  past  and 
now.  So  many  years  of  my  life — so  many  in  the  ministry — 37! 
So  much  joy  in  God's  service!  So  vigorous  for  my  years !  Praise 
God  from  whom  all  blessings  flow. 

During  the  early  months  of  1889,  a  Law  and  Order  League 
was  organized  in  Reading  and  Dr.  Bausman  was  its  leading  spirit 
and  first  chairman.  Open  saloons  on  Sunday  were  the  crying 
offense  and  by  the  prosecutions  of  the  League  more  than  a  dozen 
offenders  were  speedily  lodged  in  the  Berks  County  jail.  The 
family  of  one  of  the  offenders  was  alhed  with  his  church  and 
implored  him  to  be  lenient,  but  he  was,  of  course,  unflinching. 


220  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

His  convictions  of  civic  righteousness  were  intense  and  as  has 
been  well  said,  he  was  "a  terror  to  evil  doers."  Nevertheless, 
work  of  this  character  was  exceedingly  distasteful  and  by  July 
he  wrote  in  his  Journal:  "Executive  Committee  elected.  Feel 
thankful  to  God  for  helping  us  in  this  matter  and  am  greatly 
relieved  that  my  part  as  presiding  officer  is  ended.  It  gave  me 
no  little  concern  and  anxiety." 

The  society  did  telling  work. 

In  the  spring  of  1900,  after  several  years  of  abeyance  in  its 
activities,  a  reorganization  was  effected  and  he  "was  requested 
as  the  president  of  the  old  League  of  ten  years  ago  to  explain 
the  nature  and  workings  of  it."  This  was  done  at  a  later  meet- 
ing when  his  address  was  "by  resolution  adopted  as  a  definition 
of  the  society's  spirit  and  object." 

His  address  follows: 

Ten  years  ago  a  Law  and  Order  Society  was  organized  in  this 
city.  Its  work  brought  to  light  an  amount  of  preventable  vice 
and  crime,  which  was  an  appalling  revelation  to  many  people. 
To  say  the  least,  Reading  is  no  better  to-day  than  it  was  then. 
Whoever  may  be  to  blame  for  it,  in  certain  directions,  the  law  is 
not  enforced. 

It  is  a  matter  of  public  notoriety  that  much  evil,  prohibited 
by  the  civil  law,  is  practiced,  to  the  detriment  and  destruction 
of  young  and  old  people.  In  order  to  restrain,  if  not  wholly  to 
remedy  this  evil,  this  society  is  being  organized. 

The  spirit  and  object  of  this  society  is  benevolent.  It  will  be 
animated  by  kindness,  not  by  cruelty.  It  will  be  a  friend  of  the 
people,  to  shield  and  protect  the  hearts  and  homes  of  our  city. 
In  politics  it  will  be  non-partisan,  in  religion  non-denominational. 
It  will  join  hands  with  all  order-loving,  right-thinking  people,  to 
heal  some  of  the  ulcerating  sores  that  grow  out  of  and  are  ag- 
gravated by  certain  evils  strictly  prohibited  by  the  civil  law. 

It  does  not  aim  to  cover  the  ground  of  certain  moral  reform 
associations,  however  important  some  of  these  may  be.  Its  spe- 
cific mission  will  be  to  enforce  the  civil  law,  for  the  prevention 
and  suppression  of  immorality  and  vice.  Nothing  less,  nothing 
more.     With  charity  for  all,  it  will  aim  to  do  its  work. 

There  is  no  disposition  imnecessarily  to  multiply  cases  of  prose- 
cution; indeed,  it  is  hoped  that  many  persons  concerned  will 
hear  this  kindly  warning,  and  conform  to  the  requirements  of 
the  laws  without  any  further  action  on  the  part  of  the  society. 


ST.  Paul's  church  221 

A  high  authority  says,  "The  law  is  not  made  for  a  righteous  man, 
but  for  the  lawless  and  disobedient." 

Once  the  law  takes  charge  of  the  case,  it  will  be  enforced  with 
a  hand  of  steel,  uninfluenced  by  morbid  sentiment  or  sympathy. 
Our  object  is  not  to  persecute,  but  to  prosecute  the  law-breaker. 
We  shall  strike  at  the  offence,  whilst  we  pity  the  offender. 

The  executive  committee,  which  does  the  principal  part  of  the 
work,  will  consist  of  representative  citizens  of  Reading.  They 
are  all  busy  men,  to  whom  every  hour  is  precious.  We  commend 
them  and  their  labors  to  the  kindly  support  of  our  fellowcitizens, 
and  invoke  upon  them  and  their  cause  the  blessing  of  Almighty 
God,  in  whose  name  and  for  whose  glory  we  enter  upon  this  work. 

He  never  lost  interest  in  the  Society.  In  meetings  of  the  city 
ministerium  as  well  as  in  his  pulpit  his  voice  was  often  and  em- 
phatically raised  for  the  moral  betterment  of  his  city. 

In  the  spring  of  1895,  the  Hope  Rescue  Mission  was  organized 
in  St.  Paul's  Chapel  with  Dr.  Bausman  in  the  chair.  He  served 
as  President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  during  the  first  two  years 
of  its  history — under  protest,  however,  for  in  these  latter  years 
he  was  very  averse  to  assuming  these  outside  burdens  which 
were  continually  being  thrust  upon  him. 

Any  occasion  or  movement  touching  the  public  welfare  of 
Reading,  however,  did  not  seem  complete  without  the  presence 
and  endorsement  of  Dr.  Bausman,  and  he  spoke  and  prayed  at 
not  a  few  such  gatherings;  but  he  refused  more  invitations  than 
he  accepted. 

He  entered  heartily  into  the  celebration  of  national,  state  and 
city  anniversaries  and  centennials,  and  was  never  more  happy 
than  when  interpreting  these  events  from  the  point  of  view  of 
the  Kingdom  of  God.  At  the  sesqui-centennial  of  the  founding 
of  Reading  in  1898,  he  concluded  his  sermon  thus: 

We  hear  much  of  a  greater  Reading.  I  plead  for  a  purer 
Reading,  whose  citizens  will  strive  to  be  citizens  of  the  Kingdom 
that  cannot  be  moved;  whose  liberty-loving  people  will  all  ex- 
perience the  liberty  wherewith  only  Christ  can  make  us  free; 
whose  homes  will  be  homes  of  the  Son  of  God;  whose  fathers  will 
be  co-workers  with  our  Heavenly  Father;  and  whose  mothers  will 
be  nursing  mothers  of  sons  and  daughters  of  God. 

The  highest  honor  the  Reformed  Church  can  bestow  on  any 
man  is  to  elect  him  to  the  presidency  of  its  General  Synod.     This 


222  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

honor  came  to  Dr.  Bausman  in  1884,  when  this  highest  judica- 
tory of  the  Church  convened  in  its  triennial  sessions  in  Baltimore. 
He  was  unanimously  elected,  for  the  Synod  saw  in  him  the  em- 
bodiment of  the  irenic  spirit  which  was  coming  more  largely  into 
the  Church  after  the  happy  consummation  of  the  Peace  Move- 
ment. Six  years  before,  he  had  been  nominated  for  the  same 
office  in  a  contested  election,  and  received  a  tie  vote  on  the  first 
ballot,  was  defeated  by  one  vote  in  the  second,  and  then  became 
the  vice-president. 

The  opening  sermon  of  the  Baltimore  Synod  was  preached  by 
Dr.  Bausman,  a  circumstance  which  is  explained  by  the  follow- 
ing extract  from  a  letter  of  Dr.  Jeremiah  H.  Good: 

Tiffin,  Ohio,  April  8,  1884. 
Dear  Brother  Bausman: 

Like  Diogenes  in  the  tub,  I  am  in  search  of  a  man,  an  honest 
man.  I  am  in  a  tub,  i.  e.,  President  of  the  last  General  Synod, 
with  no  certainty  that  I  shall  be  able  to  be  at  Baltimore.  I 
ought  to  go,  want  to  go,  have  made  all  arrangements  to  go,  etc., 
but  my  health  is  so  shaky,  that  at  the  last  moment  I  may  not 
be  able  to  go,  or  going,  may  not  be  able  to  preach.  Neither  of 
the  Vice-Presidents  will  be  there.  Hence,  I  am  searching  for  a 
man,  a  good  and  honest  man. 

I  know  of  no  one  more  suitable  than  yourself  and  as  you  are  a 
delegate,  and  will  doubtless  be  present,  will  you  not  agree  to 
preach  the  opening  sermon  at  my  special  request? 

He  "reluctantly  consented"  and  one  of  the  reasons  for  this 
hesitancy  we  can  see  from  Dr.  Good's  reply  to  his  acceptance: 
"I,  too,  to  an  enormous  extent  have  a  dread  of  facing  a  strange 
audience,  especially  a  General  Synod."  Dr.  Good  urged  the 
special  fitness  of  Dr.  Bausman's  preaching  the  sermon  at  that 
juncture  of  the  Church's  history,  rather  than  other  strong  men 
who  would  be  naturally  thought  of  to  meet  such  an  emergency. 

The  theme  of  the  sermon  was  "The  Necessity  of  Aggressive 
Work  in  the  Reformed  Church"  and  the  text,  Heb.  6:1,  "There- 
fore leaving  the  principles  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  let  us  go  on 
unto  perfection." 

The  Messenger  report  said: 

The  sermon  was  very  practical  and  was  listened  to  with  great 
interest.     After  a  brief  review  of  the  past  history  of  the  Church, 


ST.  Paul's  church  223 

especially  of  the  last  forty  years,  during  which  time  he  thought  a 
record  for  ability  and  zeal  had  been  made  to  which  the  future 
would  point  with  justifiable  pride,  he  spoke  of  the  aggressive  work 
that  is  now  demanded  of  us.  He  urged  increased  consecration 
on  the  part  of  ministers,  elders,  Sunday-school  teachers  and 
church  members,  in  order  that  the  talents  and  material  resources 
of  the  Church  may  be  developed  and  utilized. 

"Never  received  so  many  thanks — from  ministers  and  elders — 
for  a  sermon  I  preached  as  for  the  one  last  night,"  was  the  diary 
comment.  We  do  know  that  the  Baltimore  General  Synod 
convened  at  the  time  of  transition  in  the  Church's  history  from 
a  period  distinguished  by  theological  controversy  to  one  marked 
more  decidedly  by  missionary  and  practical  effort. 

A  further  diary  note  reads: 

Brethren  say  this  was  the  best  General  Synod  we  ever  had,  a 
new  start  in  the  Church's  practical  work  has  been  taken.  Some 
say  my  sermon  gave  the  key-note  to  the  after  proceedings.  Can- 
not say  that,  but  do  bless  God  for  helping  me  and  blessing  and 
quieting  the  Synod. 

Dr.  Bausman  was  a  delegate  to  nearly  all  the  sessions  of  Gen- 
eral Synod  and  was  given  many  important  tasks.  He  represented 
his  Church  quite  often  as  fraternal  delegate  to  the  highest  ju- 
dicatories of  other  denominations  in  correspondence  with  his 
own.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  Alliance  of  Reformed  Churches 
holding  the  Presbyterian  System  at  Belfast,  and  Church  Boards 
continued  to  claim  his  attention  and  energy. 

The  Peace  Movement  with  the  joy  it  brought  him  and  the 
conspicuous  part  he  had  in  it  are  discussed  in  another  chapter. 
An  outcome  of  this  Movement  was  a  plan  to  prepare  a  new  hymn- 
book  for  the  Church  and  Dr.  Bausman  was  made  chairman  of 
the  committee  elected  to  do  it.  Very  soon  after  its  creation 
the  committee  was  at  work,  and  for  a  year  had  a  number  of 
meetings  and  much  correspondence. 

A  few  excerpts  from  letters  to  an  old  friend  on  the  committee 
will  interest  us: 

My  dear  Steiner: 

You  are  doubtless  aware  that  you,  along  with  five  others,  have 
been  appointed  by  the  General  Synod  to  provide  a  new  hymn- 
book. 


224  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

Some  of  the  brethren  requested  me  to  call  the  committee 
together  because  I  happened  to  have  the  largest  number  of  votes — 
a  questionable  reason  for  issuing  this  call,  I  admit,  but  the  matter 
must  be  started  by  someone. 

As  you,  my  dear  fellow,  have,  during  years  of  most  commend- 
able labor,  gone  over  the  rich  field  of  hymnology,  I  must  needs 
sit  at  your  feet  a  little  while,  and  learn  as  a  docile  disciple,  before 
I  am  entitled  or  presume  to  give  an  opinion  on  so  grave  a  matter. 

The  committee  did  not  produce  a  hymn-book,  however,  for 
the  reason  that  both  the  Eastern  and  Ohio  Synods  but  a  few 
years  before  had  put  hymn-books  into  circulation,  and  the  in- 
terests of  these  publications  would  have  been  trenched  on  by  the 
issuing  of  a  new  hymnal.  The  time  was  not  yet  ripe.  It  came 
a  decade  later  and  was  the  work  of  another  committee,  whose 
hymnal  satisfied  the  Church  for  many  years. 

The  hymn-book  problem  had  been  perplexing  the  Church  for 
a  long  time,  and  when  Dr.  Bausman  became  pastor  of  St. 
Paul's  he  was  on  committees  of  the  General  Synod  and  of  the 
Eastern  S5niod  to  deal  with  it.  It  was  touching  the  work  of 
the  latter  that  he  wrote  to  another  old  friend  in  his  old,  familiar 
style : 

Dear  Brother  Leinbach: 

S.  Miller,  Dr.  Nevin  and  I  are  a  committee  to  get  out  a  trans- 
lation of  the  Liturgy  along  with  a  selection  of  suitable  hymns. 
The  Liturgy  is  being  prepared  by  Rev.  Bank,  the  hymns  still 
remain  to  be  selected.  Miller  is  sick,  declining  toward  his  long 
home.  Dr.  Nevin  feels  himself  unfit,  and  so  do  I  in  part.  Have 
too  little  time  for  it,  to  select  the  hymns.  I  insist  on  it  that  you 
select  them. 

You  can  have  the  loan  of  my  "Knapp's  Lieder  Schatz,"  which 
has  over  3,000  hymns  in  it.  Besides,  take  as  many  out  of  Schaff's 
and  the  old  Schneck  hymn-books  as  are  good.  Now,  will  you 
do  this?  Yes,  as  an  obedient  servant  of  the  Church,  a  good- 
natured  brother,  you  will  of  course  do  it.     Gelt? 

The  subject  of  Church  Union  interested  Dr.  Bausman  greatly. 
He  heartily  approved  of  the  plan  of  federal  union  between  the 
Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States  and  the  Reformed  Church 
in  America,  and  was  elected  a  delegate  to  the  Federal  Synod  in 
1891  for  a  term  of  four  years. 


ST.  Paul's  church  225 

About  a  decade  later,  Dr.  Bausman  wrote  to  the  editor  of  the 
New  York  Independent  in  response  to  an  inquiry  regarding  the 
feasibility  of  union  between  the  Reformed  and  Congregational 
Churches.  In  these  days  when  union  with  the  Presbyterian 
Church  is  under  advisement,  Dr.  Bausman's  letter  will  be  of 
interest : 

The  Rev.  William  Hayes  Ward,  D.  D. 

My  dear  sir: 

Your  letter  afforded  me  much  pleasure.  It  is  well  that  the 
growing  spirit  of  affiliation  among  God's  people  should  be  turned 
to  practical  and  permanent  account.  I  therefore  feel  highly 
gratified  to  learn  that  the  great  heart  of  the  Congregational 
Churches  is  turning  towards  the  Reformed  Church  in  the  United 
States,  with  fraternal  interest.  I  am  sure  that,  by  many  of  the 
foremost  people  in  our  Church,  this  feeling  is  cordially  recipro- 
cated. It  is  true,  our  "failure"  of  the  hopeful  plan  of  union  with 
the  Dutch  Reformed  Church  was  a  sore  disappointment  and 
greatly  "dampened  the  ardor"  of  some  of  our  people  in  the  direc- 
tion of  future  federative  efforts.  By  reason  of  this  some  of  our 
men  are  extremely  cautious  of  taking  part  in  such  a  movement. 
Much  as  I  would  favor  the  cultivation  of  more  formal  improve- 
ment of  such  a  spirit  of  union,  unless  we  have  satisfactory  and 
decisive  evidence  that  the  mind  of  both  parties  would  generally 
favor  the  matter,  I  too,  would  have  serious  misgivings.  For  the 
failure  of  every  such  attempt  will  make  subsequent  success  more 
difficult.  The  mind  of  our  Church  is  decidedly  favorable  to 
federation.  That  is  to  say,  to  federation  between  bodies  which 
are  in  genuine  agreement  on  the  few  great  fundamental  truths  of 
our  Christian  faith,  and  whose  genius  is  sufficiently  friendly  and 
fraternal,  to  form  an  evangelical  basis  in  which  the  united  bodies 
could  with  cordial  harmony  work  together.  I  too,  can  see  much 
"affinity"  between  your  ecclesiastical  body  and  ours.  If  the 
effort  at  federation  would  start  with  our  points  of  agreement, 
and  work  on  these,  instead  of  emphasizing  our  points  of  difference 
and  disputing  about  them,  the  wisdom  and  feasibility  of  such  a 
project  might  possibly  be  demonstrated  to  our  people.  I  mean 
the  members  of  both  bodies.  Our  people,  like  yours,  are  pray- 
ing for  the  oneness  of  God's  people,  and  I  trust  they  mean  what 
they  pray.  I  am  sorry  that  I  cannot  give  a  more  definite  and 
detailed  reply  to  your  kind  letter.  Let  me  assure  you  that  I 
highly  appreciate  the  confidence  which  your  kind  letter  implies. 

Yours  truly, 

B.  Bausman. 
15 


226  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

The  literary  work  of  Dr.  Bausman,  as  editor  of  the  Guardian 
and  of  the  Hausfreund  and  as  author  of  books  while  pastor  of 
St.  Paul's,  is  treated  in  other  chapters.  Two  contributions  to 
the  devotional  literature  of  the  Church  we  notice  here. 

It  was  in  the  early  autumn  of  1882,  when  he  was  unusually 
perplexed  by  the  difficulties  in  his  church,  that  he  made  this 
entry  in  his  diary:  "Daniel  Miller  asks  me  to  prepare  a  small 
book  of  short  devotions  or  prayers  in  the  German  language." 
He  was  at  first  averse  to  taking  up  a  new  task,  but  very  soon 
thereafter  he  wrote  again:  "Have  been  working  some  at  prayer- 
book.  It  grows  in  importance  and  necessity  as  I  work  at  it. 
Think  of  preparing  one  somewhat  after  the  model  of  the  Golden 
Censer,  only  shorter  and  more  simple." 

In  November  we  find  this  record:  "Completed  writing  Ger- 
man prayer-book,  at  which  I  have  been  employed  some  six 
weeks." 

It  is  a  book  of  132  pages  and  is  entitled  "Gebete."  The 
prayers  are  for  "Children,  adults,  sick  and  dying."  Some 
forty  of  them  were  composed  by  Dr.  Bausman.  Scripture  se- 
lections and  hymns  are  interspersed.  The  little  book  is  charac- 
terized by  simplicity  and  peculiar  fitness  for  the  class  of  people 
for  whom  it  was  prepared.  It  was  well  received  and  met  a  need. 
Over  1,500  copies  have  been  sold — a  goodly  number  considering 
the  limited  field  of  the  book's  appeal.  A  confirmation  certificate 
was  included  and  it  was  in  special  demand  as  a  gift  book  to  those 
confirmed. 

Regarding  his  other  contribution  to  devotional  helps  we  find 
this  memorandum  in  1889: 

In  February,  March  and  April,  I  helped  Daniel  Miller  to  pre- 
pare an  appendix  to  the  Heidelberg  Catechism,  which  he  published. 

I  wrote  a  sketch  of  the  Reformed  Church,  a  sketch  of  the 
Catechism,  wrote  and  compiled  prayers  and  selected  hymns  for 
it  and  corrected  or  revised  a  brief  Catechism  on  the  Bible. 

It  was  bound  up  as  "The  Catechumen's  Hand  Book"  with 
the  Palatinate  Catechism  and  helped  to  make  this  one  of  the 
most  acceptable  of  the  many  editions  of  the  revered  confes- 
sional symbol  of  the  Reformed  Church. 


ST,  Paul's  church  227 

Throughout  Dr.  Bausman's  pastorate  of  St.  Paul's,  the  people's 
appreciation  of  the  past  was  cultivated  by  frequent  anniver- 
saries and  these  became  the  more  notable  and  touching  as  the 
years  went  on.  On  these  occasions  the  story  of  his  coming  to 
Reading  and  of  his  work  there  was  recited  again  and  again. 

In  1888  came  the  25th  anniversary  of  his  arrival  in  Reading. 

Twenty-five  years  of  praying  and  preaching,  of  reading  and 
wrestling,  of  searching  the  Scriptures  and  roaming  through  varied 
fields  of  human  learning,  gathering  honey  from  many  a  sweet  and 
bitter  flower;  years  of  baptizing  and  breaking  of  sacramental 
bread,  of  counseling  souls,  comforting  the  sick  and  bereaved  and 
burying  the  dead;  years  of  working  and  waiting,  of  sowing  and 
reaping,  of  hoping  and  fearing;  years  of  weaving  from  one's  own 
brain,  and  from  the  brains  of  others,  and  from  the  Book  of  infinite 
wisdom,  sermons  for  Sabbath  days  and  for  week  days:  twenty- 
five  years  of  such  work  would  be  of  trifling  account,  were  it  not 
for  the  invincible  power  of  God — the  Gospel  and  the  Cross  of 
Christ. 

Verging  toward  the  evening  of  life,  one's  ambition,  but  not  his 
ardor  for  souls  wanes.  Soon  you  and  I  shall  follow  those  who 
have  gone  before  us  to  the  great  inheritance.  I  pray  for  help  that 
Christ  may  become  my  passion  more  and  more.  With  the  soft- 
ened and  subdued  feelings  of  life's  mellow  tinted  autumn,  I  con- 
fess to  one  supreme  ambition  of  my  soul,  and  that  is,  that  I  may 
hear  through  His  own  ineffably  sweet  voice:  "Well  done,  good 
and  faithful  servant." 

In  December,  1890,  came  the  35th  anniversary  of  Dr.  Mc- 
Cauley's  pastorate  when  Dr.  Bausman  is  said  to  have  woven 

a  chaplet  of  personal  [gratitude  and  esteem  for  his  friend,  fra- 
grant with  the  most  tender  recollections  and  of  surpassing  beauty. 
It  was  a  symphony  in  prose  and  recounted  the  experiences  of  the 
early  days  of  his  ministry  in  this  city,  which  were  intimately  asso- 
ciated with  his  friend,  interspersed  with  humor  and  pathos.  He 
looked  to  the  Dr.  as  his  chief  counselor.  The  nature  of  this 
intimacy  was  strikingly  portrayed  in  these  words:  "Twice  Dr. 
McCauley  has  knelt  at  my  bedside  in  prayer  when  I  was  supposed 
to  be  dying.  Twice  I  passed  through  a  similar  ordeal  at  his  bed- 
side." 

In  1893  his  thirty  years  in  Reading  were  celebrated  in  a  day 
of  great  rejoicing  at  St.  Paul's.  Elder  Daniel  MiUer  read  a 
historical  address,  detailing  Dr.  Bausman's  life  and  work  during 


228  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

the  period  and  concluding:  "I  feel  certain  that  I  voice  the  senti- 
ment of  every  heart  when  I  say  we  wish  Dr.  Bausman  Godspeed 
on  this  festive  day." 

Dr.  Bausman  said  in  his  addresses: 

I  have  prayerfully  tried  to  be  a  man  of  God,  and  by  diligent 
toil,  to  be  well  furnished  for  my  duties.  I  have  tried  to  live  the 
gospel  in  this  city;  to  become  a  living  epistle  of  what  I  preach. 

My  heart  bounds  with  gratitude  to  God  for  giving  me  a  field 
of  labor  in  this  stirring  community,  where  I  have  received  so 
much  kindly  recognition  and  cooperation.  I  bless  His  name  for 
using  me  as  an  instrument  to  honor  Christ  and  lead  souls  to  Him. 
For  every  soul  won  to  Him,  for  every  life  made  holier  and  happier, 
I  bless  God.  The  truest  and  strongest  spiritual  life  lies  deep 
down.  Much,  perhaps  most,  of  the  best  results  of  this  thirty 
years'  pastorate  we  cannot  now  estimate  or  trace.  God  knows 
it  and  that  is  enough. 

If  you  have  any  loving  regard  for  me,  as  many  of  you  have, 
heed  my  calling:  Be  true  to  our  Savior.  Keep  your  heart  in 
loving  touch  with  Him.  Continue  steadfast  in  the  faith.  Away 
from  Him,  life  is  not  worth  living;  in  Him  it  is  an  unspeakable 
blessing  to  live  and  to  die. 

Numerous  letters  of  congratulation  came  in  connection  with 
this  anniversary.     We  give  extracts  from  a  few. 

Dr.  Thomas  G.  Apple,  then  Professor  in  the  Seminary  at  Lan- 
caster: 

I  remember  when  I  did  my  humble  part  as  a  member  of  Mer" 
cersburg  Classis  to  release  you  from  your  pastoral  relations  at 
Chambersburg — hard  as  it  was  for  that  devoted  and  affectionate 
people  to  part  with  you  and  you  with  them,  to  enable  you  to  go 
to  Reading.  What  a  prosperous,  happy  pastorate  God  has 
given  you.  How  easy  it  is  to  die  after  such  a  life-work  for  the 
Master!     But  you  are  not  going  to  die  for  a  while  yet. 

It  was  a  hard  strain,  as  I  remember,  for  you  to  start  the  work  of 
church  extension  in  Reading,  but  when  it  did  begin  to  move,  how 
rapidly  it  has  gone  forward!  Thirteen  or  fourteen  churches 
where  only  two  existed — and  how  well  moulded,  all  united  and 
harmonious!  That  is  the  best  of  it,  that  it  has  been  a  work  that 
did  not  need  to  be  done  over. 

Give  my  kind  regards  to  Mrs.  Bausman,  who  has  had  a  goodly 
share  in  making  you  so  successful  and  happy  a  pastor  all  these 
years ! 


ST.  Paul's  church  229 

Dr.  Herman  Rust  of  the  Seminary  at  Tiffin,  Ohio: 

It  seems  to  me  your  feeling  must  have  been  Hke  that  of  a  suc- 
cessful general,  when  he  returns  home  with  his  victorious  army 
and  is  received  by  a  rejoicing  multitude  of  sympathizing  friends 
in  nis  native  home. 

This  celebration  is  calculated  to  do  good  to  pastors  and  people 
throughout  the  Church,  proving  to  ministers  what  a  well-quali- 
fied and  faithful  servant  of  the  Lord  can  accomplish,  and  to  charges 
the  happy  experience  resulting  from  their  sincere  cooperation. 
The  frequent  changes  of  some  ministers  are  certainly  injurious 
to  themselves  and  to  their  charges  and  hinder  the  growth  of  the 
whole  Church. 

Dr.  L.  Kryder  Evans  of  Pottstown,  Pa.: 

I  have  always  admired  the  spirit  and  zeal  of  our  Reading 
brethren, — their  hearty  cooperation  in  every  undertaking  looking 
to  the  extension  and  growth  of  our  Church  in  your  city;  and  the 
first  impulse  to  this  commendable  work  was  given  by  yourself  and 
people  in  the  organization  of  St.  Paul's.  What  was  then  con- 
sidered a  bold  and  venturesome  undertaking  has  since  proven  to 
have  been  a  wise  and  judicious  step.  It  has  given  our  Reformed 
hosts  in  Reading  courage  and  stimulated  them  to  do  liberal  things 
for  the  Master's  kingdom. 

Dr.  William  A.  Hale  of  Dayton,  Ohio: 

Your  unparalleled  success  in  Reading  stands  among  American 
pastorates  without  a  rival.  Chief  among  your  coequals,  you  have 
shed  a  lustre  over  your  colaborers  in  the  Reformed  Church,  and 
they  point  to  your  triumphs  with  gratitude  and  copy  your  con- 
duct with  profit. 

Dr.  Thomas  M.  Balliet,  formerly  Superintendent  of  Schools  in 
Reading  and  a  member  of  St.  Paul's,  then  Superintendent  of 
Schools  in  Springfield,  Mass.,  now  Dean  of  the  School  of 
Pedagogy,  University  of  New  York: 

Much  of  your  life's  work  is  concentrated  in  this  one  congregation; 
it  must  be  peculiarly  satisfying  to  see  one's  work — or  rather  the 
results  of  it — so  concentrated  as  to  make  it  a  monument  of  one's 
best  efforts. 

The  quarter  centennial  of  St.  Paul's  was  observed  in  a  five 
day's  celebration  during  the  closing  week  of  1897.     Through  the 


230  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

enterprise  of  the  church  paper  the  whole  denomination  was 
privileged  to  have  part  in  the  occasion,  as  we  see  by  the  follow- 
ing: 

A  copy  of  this  week's  Messenger  was  sent  to  us  by  special  de- 
livery. To  my  great  surprise,  it  contains  almost  five  pages  about 
my  humble  self  by  eight  different  writers,  and  pictures  of  myself 
and  my  dear  wife.  I  do  not  deserve  all  the  good  things  they  say 
of  me.  Chiefly  and  above  all  the  glory  belongs  to  God,  for  the 
good  I  may  have  accomplished.  These  kind  words  are  exceed- 
ingly pleasant  to  me,  for  which  I  praise  God  and  thank  these  dear 
friends. 

In  May,  1898,  was  celebrated  the  25th  anniversary  of  Dr. 
Henry  Mosser's  pastorate  in  the  old  First  Church.  Dr.  Bausman 
preached  the  sermon  and  wrote  at  the  close  of  the  day:  "Felt 
grateful,  tender  and  loving  to  this  old  flock.  A  memorable  day 
for  me.  Almost  thirty-five  years  in  Reading.  God's  mercy  to 
me  is  overpowering." 

During  these  twenty-seven  years  that  Dr.  Bausman  bore  the 
pastoral  burden  of  St.  Paul's  alone,  he  lost  very  little  time  be- 
cause of  illness.  He  was  quite  often  indisposed,  sometimes 
nervously  and  mentally  depressed,  but  comparatively  few  were 
the  appointments  he  was  physically  unable  to  fill. 

In  October,  1876,  while  gathering  autumn  leaves  on  Never- 
sink  Mountain  with  friends,  he  was  suddenly  overcome,  was 
taken  home  and  remained  unconscious  for  about  two  hours.  He 
was  reported  dead  and  there  was  "great  excitement."  In  a  few 
weeks  he  was  at  work  again.  A  sermon  grew  out  of  the  ex- 
perience, "Lessons  Learned  on  a  Supposed  Death-bed." 

Two  years  after  this  he  had  very  annoying  trouble  with  his 
ears  which  his  doctor  corrected  and  twenty  years  afterward  came 
a  trouble  with  his  eye  which  was  remedied  by  the  use  of  spec- 
tacles. He  was  not  obliged  to  miss  officiating  at  the  Holy  Com- 
munion until  1890,  twenty -six  years  after  he  came  to  Reading. 

His  dehcate  constitution  required  that  he  bestow  the  utmost 
care  continuously  on  his  health  and  he  hesitated  at  no  regimen 
or  denial  calculated  to  keep  himself  in  working  trim.  His  long 
life  and  continued  usefulness,  however,  are  to  be  attributed  most 


ST.  Paul's  church  231 

of  all  to  the  unceasing  devotion  of  Mrs.  Bausman,  who  went 
with  him  on  all  journeys  and  was  rarely  out  of  his  presence  for 
an  hour.  His  diaries  are  full  of  his  tender  realization  of  her 
love  and  kindness.  The  wedding  anniversary  was  never  for- 
gotten.    An  example  is  the  following: 

This  is  the  twenty-second  anniversary  of  our  wedding.  Our 
marriage  has  been  very  happy.  God  has  been  unspeakably  kind 
in  giving  me  such  a  devoted  helpmeet.  Much  of  my  usefulness 
is  the  result  of  her  activity  in  ministering  to  me  and  in  her  many- 
sided  ministries  in  the  congregation.  Blessed  be  God  for  our  home 
and  our  combined  ministries! 

During  the  seventies,  Dr.  Bausman  took  vacations  only  oc- 
casionally, outside  of  visits  to  relatives  in  Lancaster.  There- 
after, several  weeks  or  more  every  year  were  given  to  definite 
recuperation.  The  trips  to  the  Continent  in  1884  and  to  the 
Pacific  coast  in  1886,  will  claim  our  attention  in  the  next  chapter. 
Ocean  Grove  was  frequently  visited.  During  the  eighties,  they 
went  in  different  summers  to  Niagara,  the  Catskills,  Saratoga 
and  Lake  George,  and  Naomi  Pines.  During  the  early  nineties, 
Eagles  Mere  and  during  the  later  nineties,  Lake  Mohonk  were 
favorites.  They  went  to  Atlantic  City  occasionally  and  a  year 
before  the  beginning  of  the  associate  pastorate  they  discovered 
Preston's  Sunnyside  at  Wernersville,  which  for  them  proved 
"one  of  the  most  enjoyable  mountain  retreats"  and  never  lost 
its  charm. 

As  Dr.  Bausman  was  passing  on  through  the  years,  during  the 
eighties  and  the  nineties,  one  notes  a  subtle  change  steahng  over 
his  spirit.  He  lived  more  in  the  past,  though  his  face  was  ever 
toward  the  future  with  its  tasks.  He  became,  however,  more 
reminiscent.  He  often  leafed  over  the  old  diaries.  The  6th  of 
May,  when  he  went  to  College  in  1846,  his  birthday,  the  beginning 
of  the  year,  various  anniversaries  set  his  memory  going  and  the 
past  came  before  him  full  of  blessings  and  radiant  with  the  glory 
of  divine  mercies  which  made  him  unspeakably  thankful.  Then 
too,  the  old  friends  were  dying  and  he  thought  much  of  the  com- 
panionships of  youth. 

At  the  end  of  1896,  his  brother  Philip,  "the  dear,  good  soul," 
died  suddenly. 


232  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

He  was  a  gentle,  meek,  conscientious  child  of  God.  Although 
two  years  and  eight  months  older  than  I,  in  our  childhood  we 
were  together  as  if  of  one  age — slept  together  as  boys  for  years 
and  went  to  school  together.  How  rapidly  our  family  is  entering 
into  rest.  Abram,  Samuel  and  Philip  died  within  five  or  six 
years;  only  Henry,  Elizabeth  and  I  are  left. 

He  scrutinized  himself,  recognized  the  oncoming  marks  of 
decrepitude,  gauged  his  powers  of  one  year  over  against  another, 
maintained  the  cheerful  and  quiet  spirit  and  prayed  for  greater 
purity  of  heart. 

At  the  close  of  1885  was  recorded  this  observation: 

Feeling  is  growing  upon  me  that  I  am  an  old  man,  although  my 
feelings  seem  to  be  young.  This  has  been  a  year  of  many  mercies 
and  alas,  of  many  imperfections  and  some  sins,  which  I  bitterly 
repent  of.     O  for  greater  spiritual  ripeness. 

On  his  69th  birthday: 

My  birthdays  are  partly  saddened  with  the  calm  shadows  of 
life's  evening.  Every  year  they  become  more  serious  to  me,  and 
awaken  a  deeper  gratitude,  too — for  countless  mercies  thus  far, 
and  for  vigor  still  to  work  and  for  a  cheerful,  peaceful  spirit.  O 
for  more  holiness  and  more  unreserved  consecration  to  our  dear 
Savior! 

When  he  had  the  difficulty  with  his  eyes  in  1896,  he  prayed: 
"Lord,  help  me  to  accept  with  a  cheerful,  grateful  heart,  the 
waning  of  my  powers  that  may  come  with  growing  years." 

Two  years  later  he  suffered  slight  facial  paralysis,  due  to  cold 
in  a  nerve  and  had  an  attack  of  vertigo.  Of  the  former  he  re- 
marked : 

Feel  uneasy  about  it,  yet  why  should  I,  after  God's  abounding 
mercy  so  many  years  in  giving  me  health; 

of  the  latter: 

The  attack  may  possibly  be  a  forewarning  of  what  may  sooner 
or  later  await  me.  I  am  in  our  Father's  care.  Lord,  keep  me  in 
cheerful,  hopeful  readiness  for  Thy  coming. 

At  the  close  of  1898,  after  enumerating  the  mercies  of  the 
year: 


ST.  Paul's  church  233 

Lord  abide  with  me,  for  it  is  toward  evening  and  the  day  is 
far  spent.     Amen. 

Several  months  later : 

Lord,  help  me  with  a  peaceful,  contented  heart,  to  accept  Thy 
will. 

In  the  last  year  of  the  century: 

I  have  been  thinking  much  of  late  about  my  advanced  life  and 
my  comfortable  work.  In  my  seventy-sixth  year,  when  the  most 
of  my  fellow  students  in  college  have  died,  I  am  still  in  full  service, 
with  a  large,  united,  harmonious  congregation,  fresh  and  vigorous 
with  activity.  Daily  the  merciful  providence  of  God  becomes 
more  marked  and  I  am  a  wonder  to  myself.  I  bless  God  for  pre- 
serving my  life  and  bodily  vigor,  for  giving  me  something  to  do, 
permitting  me  still  to  minister  to  my  dear  St.  Paul's  people. 

On  another  birthday,  after  enumerating  "the  mercies  of  God 
in  a  thousand  forms,"  he  prayed: 

0  Lord,  pardon  what  I  have  been,  sanctify  what  I  am,  and  order 
what  I  shall  be;  then  Thine  may  be  the  glory  and  mine  the  salva- 
tion, for  Jesus'  sake.     Amen. 

Again: 

The  Lord  can  see  how  thankful  I  am  trying  to  be  for 
His  goodness  to  me,  enabling  me  to  minister  to  my  people  with 
comfort  and  with  many  expressions  of  favor  and  gratitude  on 
their  part. 

Five  or  six  years  before  the  close  of  the  century.  Dr.  Bausman 
decided  to  resign  the  pastorate  of  St.  Paul's  because  of  his  ad- 
vanced age.  He  took  the  elders  of  his  church  into  his  confidence 
in  the  matter  and  they  met  with  him  for  consultation  from  time 
to  time.  Through  them  he  learned  that  the  congregation  were 
unitedly  opposed  to  his  resignation.  In  spite  of  marks  of  ap- 
proaching decline  he  could  say: 

Rarely  have  I  enjoyed  my  work  so  much,  with  such  uniform 
comfort  of  body,  mind  and  spirit. 

In  1899,  he  said: 

1  have  received  more  kind  words  about  the  blessings  of  my 
sermons  to  the  people,  the  past  year,  than  ever  before. 

At  this  period,  one  who  was  very  close  to  him  wrote  to  a  friend: 
"He  works  with  a  great  degree  of  pleasure  and  preaches  power- 


234  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

ful  sermons.     Some  persons  wanted  him  to  have  the  sermons 
of  last  Sunday  printed,  but  he  is  too  modest." 

Like  all  sensitive  men,  he  could  do  his  best  work  only  in  the 
warm  atmosphere  of  keen  appreciation.  A  consciousness  of  this 
made  him  the  more  effective.  Nevertheless,  at  his  time  of  life 
he  was  wise  enough  to  know  that  it  was  physically  impossible 
for  him  to  bear  the  heavy  pastoral  burden  alone  much  longer. 
Suggestions  of  resignation  again  and  again  were  stoutly  opposed 
by  his  Spiritual  Council,  hence  the  only  alternative  was  the  se- 
curing of  the  associate  pastor,  who  came  in  the  person  of  the  Rev. 
Charles  E.  Creitz,  in  the  autumn  of  1900. 


CHAPTER  XII 

Europe  and  California — 1884,  1886 

HEALTH  considerations  as  well  as  a  desire  for  mental  en- 
richment, combined  -w-ith  calls  to  duty  led  Dr.  Bausman 
to  take  extended  tours  during  the  summers  of  1884  and  1886. 
He  had  profited  greatly  by  the  trip  abroad  in  1856  and  1857  and 
repeatedly  expressed  the  wish  to  revisit  many  of  the  places  he 
had  then  seen.  In  the  early  part  of  1884,  we  can  see  his  plans 
crystallizing  as  we  read: 

Consulted  with  brother  Jacob  about  going  to  Europe  together 
next  summer.  Am  not  definitely  clear  in  my  own  mind,  whether 
I  ought  to  go.  Am  willing  to  go  or  remain  home  as  the  Lord 
may  direct.     In  some  respects  would  prefer  not  to  go. 

He  was  appointed  by  the  officers  of  General  Synod  a  delegate 
to  the  Alliance  of  Reformed  Churches  holding  the  Presbyterian 
System,  to  meet  in  Belfast  in  June,  at  which  he  was  assigned  the 
reading  of  a  paper.  This  appointment  evidently  was  the  decisive 
argument.  We  read  in  March:  "I  am  a  good  deal  exercised  and 
perplexed  as  to  our  contemplated  visit  to  Europe.  Am  seeking 
and  praying  for  light,  would  gladly  not  go  if  the  Lord  so  willed." 

The  Whitsunday  Communion  was  the  last  service  held  with 
the  congregation  before  the  departure  and  it  was  by  far  the 
largest  St.  Paul's  had  ever  had  at  that  season.  He  preached 
from  Phil.  1 :  27 — "An  Absent  Pastor's  Care  for  his  Flock, "  which 
brought  forth  much  manifestation  of  tenderness  from  the  con- 
gregation. 

We  have  been  visited,  greeted  and  blessed  with  marks  of  kind- 
ness to  an  extent  that  I  never  experienced  before — by  many 
people  in  and  outside  of  our  congregation.  Dear  Father  bless 
and  keep  them  all. 

235 


236  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

The  following  note  came  from  his  colleague,  the  pastor  of  the 
Second  Church: 

Reading,  Pa.,  June  3,  1884. 
Dear  Dr.  Bausman: 

What  wonderful  changes  have  transpired  since  April  6, 
1875,  when  I  bade  you  and  Mrs.  Bausman  farewell  for  a  short 
season!  Again,  I  say,  God  be  with  you  and  your  dear  wife. 
The  experience  of  years  of  prosperity  and  adversity  constrains 
me  to  say  with  the  apostle,  I  have  no  ministerial  brother  so  dear 
unto  me.  All  seem  busied  about  their  own — you  have  shown 
a  constant  care  for  me  and  my  work.  The  Lord  reward  your 
labor  of  love.  The  Lord  calm  the  waves  and  guard  you  safely 
through,  make  you  a  blessing  to  the  convention,  cause  all  your 
journey  to  be  a  source  of  pleasure,  and  in  due  time,  bring  you 
both  home  again  greatly  strengthened  for  your  important  work. 

With  high  regard,  your  greatly  obliged  and  profoundly  grate- 
ful friend,  C.  F.  McCauley. 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Bausman  sailed  from  New  York  on  the  afternoon 
of  June  4th  on  the  Cunarder,  "Aurania,"  Capt.  W.  H.  P.  Hains. 
The  voyage  was  very  pleasant,  barring  Dr.  Bausman's  inevitable 
seasickness  for  a  few  days,  until  the  evening  of  June  11th,  when 
they  were  within  about  sixty  miles  of  Queenstown.  Let  the 
vivid  words  from  Mrs.  Bausman's  diary  describe  what  happened: 

Seven  o'clock.  Whilst  sitting  on  deck  with  B.  and  others, 
all  at  once  the  screw  stopped,  when  there  was  some  commotion 
on  deck.  We  rushed  forward  toward  the  bow,  when  they  seemed 
ready  to  drop  the  anchor.  The  mist  thickens!  Oh,  fearful! 
All  at  once  they  blow  off  steam;  the  people  cry  breakers;  next  we 
see  something,  cannot  tell  what,  when  oh!  Horrors!  All  of  a 
sudden  the  mist  rises  like  a  curtain  and  here  we  are,  an  immense 
rock  looming  up  before  us  and  the  vessel  strikes  it!  What  shall 
we  do?  Where  shall  we  go?  Everybody  was  quiet.  We  looked 
at  one  another  terror-struck.  All  at  once  the  command  was 
given  to  go  back  to  the  stern.  All  went  back  quietly  but 
quickly,  when  the  engine  was  suddenly  reversed  and  we  slid  off 
the  rock.  Then  the  command,  "To  the  boats."  The  bronzed 
seamen  rushed  to  the  life  boats,  with  faces  ashen  pale,  unchaining 
and  getting  them  ready  for  use  at  any  moment.  Parents  rushing 
to  and  fro  looking  for  their  little  ones,  some  getting  their  life  pre- 
servers, others  quietly  but  prayerfully  looking  on.  All  the  ma- 
chinery is  stopped.     Now  the  command  comes,  "Close  the  hatch- 


MRS.   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 


EUROPE   AND    CALIFOBNIA  237 

ways,"  and  the  vessel  is  examined  to  ascertain  whether  she  has 
sprung  a  leak.  We  are  all  so  thankful  to  be  assured  that  she 
has  sustained  no  injury  beside  the  jamming  of  the  machinery 
caused  by  the  sudden  reversion.  Two  rockets  were  sent  up  as  a 
signal  of  distress.  About  midnight,  we  saw  a  vessel  approaching 
with  lights  burning.  Some  cheered,  others  prayed.  We  lay 
quiet  about  three  hours,  whilst  one  of  the  piston  rods  was  re- 
moved, new  packing  put  in,  etc.,  and  then  the  "Aurania"  moved 
off  as  finely  as  ever.  This  was  about  half  past  twelve — a  bright 
moonlight  night  and  not  a  bit  of  mist.  The  good  Lord  answered 
the  prayers  of  us  passengers. 

Dr.  Bausman  says  in  his  diary  of  the  event: 

The  suspense  was  indescribable.  A  few  ladies  fainted,  the 
most  of  the  women  were  wonderfully  calm  for  the  hour.  A 
little  Jewish  mother  sat  quietly  and  calmly  on  deck  with  three 
children,  two  boys  and  a  girl  close  around  her,  sadly  and  peace- 
fully smiling  upon  them.  We  had  gotten  away  from  our 
group,  saw  some  of  them  at  a  distance.  Beckoned  them 
to  come  to  us  that  we  should  be  together  should  the  worst  come. 
After  that  Apple,  Hensel,  Good  and  we  stayed  together.  Handed 
Amelia  over  to  some  of  them,  went  to  state  room  for  life  pre- 
servers at  ceihng.  Fearing  to  produce  a  panic  among  the  rest 
by  bringing  them,  I  closed  the  door.  Knelt  down  and  prayed  fer- 
vently to  our  Great  Father  for  help  and  left  the  life  preservers. 

Our  group  sitting  together,  I  asked  Amelia  to  start  "Jesus 
Lover  of  my  Soul."  We  sang  it  twice,  then  "Nearer  my  God  to 
Thee."  By  that  time  quite  a  lot  of  people  gathered  around  us 
helping  to  sing.  Then  "Rock  of  Ages."  Then  Rev.  Smyth  led 
in  prayer.  Then  we  sang  "Praise  God,  etc."  which  sounded 
gjrandly  from  many  grateful  hearts  and  strong  voices.  By  that 
time  the  fog  had  strangely  disappeared  and  the  large  moon  shone 
kindly  down  upon  us. 

A  notorious  gambler,  a  man  of  fine  appearance,  had  edged  up 
to  the  group  and  joined  with  his  rich  voice  in  the  singing,  and 
remarked  to  one  near,  "Under  the  circumstances,  this  is  after  all, 
certainly  the  right  thing  to  do." 

Soon  thereafter,  the  steward  announced  that  Dr.  Morgan  Dix 
of  New  York  would  conduct  a  thanksgiving  service  in  the  dining 
room,  and  Dr.  Bausman  was  urged  to  assist,  which  he  did,  read- 
ing John  6: 15-22. 

It  was  found  next  day  that  the  ship  suffered  more  injury  than 
was  at  first  supposed,  as  could  be  seen  by  the  low  hanging  prow. 


238  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

She  sailed  comfortably  to  Liverpool  harbor  but  was  unable  to 
get  to  dock.  It  was  Bull  Rock  on  which  the  ship  ran  and  the 
passengers  were  told  afterward  by  Capt.  Hains  that  five  or  six 
vessels  came  near  being  wrecked  on  it  owing  to  strong  sea  currents 
before  unheard  of  setting  in  toward  it. 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Bausman  did  not  tarry  in  Liverpool  but  went 
on  shortly  into  the  lake  country,  then  in  its  spring  glory — Win- 
dermere, Ambleside,  Keswick — leisurely  visiting  the  homes  of 
Thomas  Arnold,  Harriet  Martineau,  Hartley  Coleridge,  Words- 
worth and  others. 

June  16,  113/2  A.  M. — Kirkstone  Pass  Inn — the  highest  in- 
habited dwelling  in  England,  on  our  way  to  Ullswater,  on  the 
top  of  the  stage-coach,  with  the  driver!  Grand  beyond  de- 
scription ! 

Several  days  were  spent  in  Edinburgh  and  vicinity,  taking  in 
Stirling  and  the  Lakes.  Dr.  Bausman  met  with  the  committee 
who  attempted,  though  in  vain,  to  frame  a  Consensus  Creed  for 
the  Reformed  Churches,  and  attended  the  dinner  at  the  Regents 
hotel  to  the  Consensus  committee,  by  "pressing  invitation"  of 
Dr.  Cairns,  the  "large  Scotchman  with  a  great  head  and  a  great 
heart."  They  visited  many  places  of  interest  and  did  not  for- 
get the  mission  Sunday-schools  wdth  their  "boys  dirty  and  rag- 
ged." They  heard  Dr.  McGregor  and  Dr.  Alexander  Whyte 
preach  on  Sunday:  the  former,  "said  to  be  the  most  popular 
preacher  in  Edinburgh — eccentric,  pointed,  apt  and  happy  in  his 
illustrations,  intensely  earnest;"  the  latter,  "a  middle-aged, 
plain  looking  man,  animated,  full  of  feeling,  abounding  in  apt, 
homely  illustrations,  very  earnest  and  impressive.  Felt  moved 
to  tears  and  thanked  God  for  it." 

By  way  of  Glasgow  they  came  to  Greenock  and  thence  by 
steamer  to  Belfast,  which  they  reached  on  the  morning  of  June  24, 
the  day  the  Alliance  opened.  The  vessel  was  overcrowded  and  Dr. 
Bausman  was  one  of  six  in  a  room  eight  feet  square,  among  them 
Dr.  Schaff .  Dr.  Schaff  was  disturbed  by  another's  snoring,  then 
quoting  one  of  Harbaugh's  sayings,  "with  hearty  laughter  said, 
'Awer  guck,  mer  derf  nix  sage,  mer  sin  ewe  Nochbere,*  etc.'" 

*  But  you  see,  one  daren't  say  anything,  since  we're  neighbors. 


EUROPE   AND    CALIFORNIA  239 

Ten  days  were  passed  in  Belfast  during  the  sessions  of  the  Al- 
liance, and  nearly  all  this  time  they  were  the  guests  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  John  McCausland  at  their  charming  villa. 

Dr.  Bausman's  address  before  the  Council  was  on  "The  Work 
01  the  German  Church  in  the  United  States."     He  observed: 

Dr.  Matthews  and  Dr.  Cairns  complimented  and  thanked  me 
very  heartily  for  my  essay ;  said  that  they  had  hitherto  been  wish- 
ing for,  but  unable  to  get,  what  it  contained. 

The  paper  discusses  the  origin,  development,  difficulties,  etc., 
of  the  German  Churches  in  America  and  the  distribution  of  the 
Germans  throughout  the  States.  His  diagnosis  of  the  German 
character  in  its  attitude  to  religion  and  morals  is  of  abiding  in- 
terest and  value. 

This  people  are  an  accession  of  wealth  or  weakness.  They 
bring  their  vices  with  them,  no  less  than  their  virtues.  Their 
brawn  and  brain,  muscle  and  mind,  add  a  potent  element  to  the 
nation.  A  large  proportion  of  them  are  victims  of  the  sceptical 
and  socialistic  sj^stems  of  Europe.  They  are  not  only  prejudiced 
against  Christianity,  but  hate  it  bitterly  and  intensely  loathe  its 
services.  Their  social  habits  are  an  emphatic  protest  against 
religion,  a  profanation  of  our  most  sacred  usages.  In  Europe, 
the  arm  of  strong  government  kept  them  under  restraint.  With 
the  enlarged  liberty  of  our  institutions,  they  denounce  and  defy 
our  laws,  and  chafe  under  alleged  tyranny.  "License  they  mean, 
when  they  cry  liberty."  They  multiply  drinking  saloons  and 
other  places  of  convivial  resort,  where  hosts  of  American  youths 
are  entrapped  and  ruined.  They  revile  the  ministry  as  the  tools 
of  tyrants,  the  paid  apostles  of  priestcraft  and  the  enemies  of 
their  liberties.  With  a  parade  painful  to  God's  people,  they  turn 
the  Lord's  day  into  a  day  of  sinful  pleasure. 

Among  this  pleasure-loving  throng,  one  finds  a  large  proportion 
of  intelligent  people;  bright  boys  and  girls  whose  appearance  and 
deportment  point  to  homes  of  culture  and  refinement;  quick- 
witted, well-read  men  and  women,  and  not  a  few  of  a  thorough 
scientific  training.  They  have  their  own  literature.  In  their 
hands  and  homes  are  found  the  best  and  latest  works,  often  bril- 
liant in  style,  teaching  the  worst  t3rpes  of  scepticism  in  the  most 
fascinating    forms. 

Their  papers  are  edited  with  literary  ability  and  popular  tact. 
They  have  acquired  an  immense  circulation  and  a  national  in- 
fluence.    They  are  a  felt  influential  element  in  the  commercial, 


240  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

political  and  social  life  of  the  nation.  Seekers  of  pelf  and  place 
dare  not  ignore  them.  Municipal  councils  and  even  state  and 
national  legislatures  have  an  eye  to  the  social  habits  of  their 
Teutonic  constituents.  The  fear  of  the  Germans  often  defeats 
the  most  necessary  and  reasonable  reformatory  measures  in 
favor  of  temperance  and  a  better  observance  of  the  Lord's  day. 
Lukewarm  and  cowardly  Christians  and  seekers  of  place  and  pro- 
fit help  to  swell  this  turbid  stream  of  anti-christian  elements  that 
deluges  our  country.  Its  material  vapors  poison  the  social  life 
and  thinking  of  the  land.  In  the  United  States,  Strauss  and  Heine, 
though  dead,  yet  speak.  Through  works  of  Theology  and  Philo- 
sophy, of  Poetry  and  Fiction,  through  the  songs  of  this  music- 
loving  people,  their  soul-destroying  systems  are  distilled  and 
distributed  among  the  masses.  Thus,  the  pernicious  forces  of 
error  are  perpetuated  and  the  curse  of  systems  largely  vanquished 
has  gone  to  seed  in  the  hearts  of  millions  in  the  new  world.  In 
this  power,  the  German  Church  in  the  United  States  finds  a 
formidable  foe.  Among  this  unevangelical  German  element,  there 
are  different  degrees  of  opposition  to  the  Gospel.  With  many,  it 
is  only  in  a  negative  form.  A  spirit  of  indifference,  rather  than 
one  of  positive  hostility  to  Christ,  has  taken  possession  of  their 
minds.  As  the  result  of  certain  ecclesiastical  training  in  Europe, 
they  retain  a  traditional  reverence  for  the  sacraments  and  other 
ordinances  of  the  Church.  Whilst  totally  unconcerned  about  the 
ordinary  services  of  the  sanctuary  they,  nevertheless,  desire  to 
have  their  children  baptized,  instructed  in  the  catechism  and 
confirmed  by  an  ordained  minister  of  the  gospel.  Laying  great 
stress  upon  good,  religious  instruction,  however  little  they  them- 
selves may  practically  care  for  it,  they  send  their  children  to  the 
Sunday-school.  In  their  view,  the  services  of  a  true  minister  of 
Christ  at  a  baptism,  a  confirmation  and  a  burial  are,  if  not  a 
needed  means  of  religious  blessing,  at  least  a  necessary  part  of 
social  propriety.  By  this  means,  the  evangelical  ministry  gains  a 
gracious  access  to  the  hearts  and  homes  of  many  children  and 
parents. 

The  German  people  of  a  positive  faith  are  a  tower  of  strength. 
Their  piety  usually  has  a  peculiar  permanence  and  personal  force. 
It  is  a  piety  like  that  of  Timothy,  dating  from  childhood  and 
youth.  Taught  by  parents,  teachers  and  pastors,  their  minds 
have  been  stored  with  the  clear  and  crisp  forms  of  gospel  truth  as 
found  in  evangelical  catechisms  and  hymn-books.  This  good 
seed  nurtured  into  vigorous  gro\vth  by  prayer,  faith  and  parental 
training,  has  become  spirit  and  life  in  their  characters.  They 
have  a  distinct  perception,  a  discerning  sense  of  the  divine  ele- 
ments in  the  gospel.     This  imparts  a  characteristic  devoutness 


EUROPE   AND   CALIFORNIA  241 

to  their  piety,  to  which  their  well-worn  Bibles,  hymn-books  and 
prayer-books  bear  striking  testimony. 

The  Germans  are  a  song-loving  folk,  as  their  singing  contests 
and  musical  associations,  from  the  days  of  the  Minnesingers  have 
shown.  Their  grand  hymns  pulsating  with  the  living  Christ, 
breathing  the  spirit  of  repentance,  faith  and  hope,  are  an  immense 
power  in  the  moulding  and  maturing  of  personal  piety.  Their 
children  commit  them  to  memory  and  learn  to  sing  them  to  their 
soul-stirring  melodies.  On  Sunday  and  on  week-days,  at  work  and 
in  worship,  in  sowing  and  in  reaping,  in  joy  and  in  sorrow,  the 
godly  German  sings  the  songs  of  Zion.  Even  among  the  deepest 
solitudes  of  a  strange  land,  he  rarely  hangs  his  harp  on  the  willows. 
The  devout  use  of  such  hymns,  so  full  of  the  marrow  of  the  gospel, 
is  in  itself  a  religious  education. 

The  difficulties  of  the  language  question  were  duly  discussed 
and  a  statement  made  which  ought  to  be  borne  in  mind  in  pass- 
ing judgment  on  the  foreign  missionary  activity  of  the  American 
Churches  of  German  origin: 

Doubtless,  the  vast  religious  destitution  and  the  pressing  and 
large  demand  for  energetic  gospel  work  in  our  land  partly  ac- 
counts for  the  comparatively  diminished  missionary  activity  of 
the  German  Church  in  heathen  lands. 

After  noting  "the  stimulating  example  of  his  Enghsh  brethren" 
on  "the  slower  German  with  his  more  contemplative,  mystical 
and  reserved  piety,"  he  went  on: 

In  like  manner,  the  German  Church  may  possibly  be  influencing 
the  other  Churches,  through  the  translations  of  German  books, 
etc.  There  are  few  of  the  better  institutions  of  learning  in  our 
land,  some  of  whose  professors  have  not  studied  in  German 
universities.  There  is  a  communion  of  sound  scholarship,  as 
well  as  a  communion  of  saints,  which  overleaps  the  boundaries 
of  oceans,  of  continents  and  of  nations. 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Bausman  passed  from  Belfast  to  London  and 
tarried  there  over  two  Sundays  and  heard  the  noted  preachers, 
Spurgeon,  Joseph  Parker,  Newman  Hall  and  Canon  Gregory. 
Spurgeon  charmed  as  before.     We  read  this  comment: 

A  strong,  clear,  musical  voice  under  good  control,  a  heart  living 
with  love  to  God  and  souls,  a  matchless  skill  in  clearly  and  in  most 
simple  forms  setting  forth  the  truth,  etc.     To  me  a  precious  in- 
16 


242  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

spiration,  which  may  God  help  me  to  retain  and  utilize  for  His 
glory. 

Thence  they  proceeded  by  Dover  and  Ostend  to  Brussels, 
Cologne  and  Bonn.  Dr.  Bausman's  feeling  in  seeing  the  land  of 
his  fathers  again  is  thus  expressed  in  the  opening  paragraph  of 
a  letter  to  the  Hausfreund: 

We  have  come  at  last  to  the  banks  of  the  dear  old  Rhine.  1 
love  the  noble  people  of  all  lands,  and  rejoice  to  find  something 
good  in  each ;  and  yet  I  must  declare,  that,  as  we  came  to  the  bor- 
ders of  Germany  this  afternoon,  my  German  heart  almost  cried 
aloud  from  very  joy. 

They  did  not  tarry  long  in  the  Fatherland.  It  was  the  middle 
of  July  and  they  desired  to  visit  Italy  before  the  hottest  weeks. 
Moreover,  the  cholera  was  spreading  through  the  Latin  coun- 
tries and  they  must  see  Italy  very  soon  or  perhaps  not  at  all. 
Therefore  they  hastened  from  city  to  city.  They  sailed  up  the 
Rhine  "picturesque  and  grand"  by  Coblentz,  Bingen  to  Mayence. 
"Sweet  Bingen!  How  memories  of  1856  crowded  my  mind." 
Quaint  Nuremburg  could  not  hold  them  long,  nor  the  Pinakothek 
of  Munich.  They  spent  two  weeks  in  Italy  and  when  at  Lake 
Como,  Dr.  Bausman  wrote  a  long  letter,  a  few  paragraphs  of 
which  will  interest  us: 

My  dear  Messenger: 

Many  years  ago,  I  used  to  write  for  your  columns  whilst  on  a 
pilgrimage  through  Italy.  I  cannot  leave  this  classic  land  with- 
out sending  at  least  one  letter  concerning  my  present  visit. 

We  both  are  enjoying  good  health  since  we  left  England,  mine 
has  decidedly  improved.  All  access  to  Italy,  from  France  and 
Switzerland  and  Austria  has  been  cut  off  on  account  of  the  cholera 
in  Southern  France.  Thus  far,  only  a  few  cases  have  occurred  in 
Italy.  We  apprehend  no  danger.  We  just  got  into  Italy  in 
time. 

The  Bremer  Pass,  on  the  extreme  east,  was  the  only  railroad 
entrance  left  us.  At  Innsbruck,  in  the  Austrian  Tyrol,  we  were 
assured  that  this  way  was  still  open.  After  ten  hours'  travel 
across  the  Alps — one  of  the  grandest  day's  journeys  I  ever  made — 
we  reached  Verona,  near  midnight.  A  prominent  official  with 
emphatic  gesticulation,  and  to  us  unintelligent  explanation, 
hastened  us  into  a  large  room  at  the  depot.  No  sooner  were  all 
the  passengers  in  than  all  the  doors  were  locked.     A  grun-looking 


EUROPE   AND    CALIFORNIA  243 

policeman  with  heavy  cocked  hat,  in  full  uniform  and  sabre, 
guarded  each  door.  A  long  row  of  open  trunks  were  placed  on  a 
counter.  Ah,  we  thought,  another  custom-house  examination. 
But,  no  one  examined.  After  a  little,  the  room  was  filled  with  a 
strange  odor.  The  atmosphere  seemed  heavy  and  difficult  to 
breathe.  Soon  we  discovered  what  it  meant.  They  were 
smoking  (fumigating,  as  it  is  here  called)  the  contents  of  our 
trunks,  our  persons  and  our  clothing,  to  purify,  or  disinfect  us 
from  the  possible  causes  of  cholera.  Carbolic  acid  may  be  a 
good  disinfectant,  but  its  odors  are  anything  but  pleasant  to  in- 
hale. We  were  smoked  for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes.  Never 
did  God's  sweet,  free  air  seem  more  delightful  to  breathe,  than 
when  on  that  rainy  midnight,  at  Verona,  we  were  turned  out  of 
that  horrid  smoke-house  like  a  herd  of  cattle  bounding  from 
their  barn  enclosures  into  pastures  green. 

In  spite  of  the  discomfort,  this  disinfecting  process  had  its 
humorous  side  too.  Some  faces  turned  pale  with  fright,  others 
were  livid  with  rage.  Eyes  flashed  with  fiery  fury,  and  lips 
unused  to  harsh  epithets,  poured  forth  their  wrath  in  phrases  of 
unaccustomed  vehemence.  Said  one,  with  a  face  that  looked 
as  if  it  had  never  smiled:  "I  am  going  to  get  out  of  this;  shall  go 
no  further  into  this  dirty  country,  but  go  back  to  Germany." 
"How  will  you  do  it?"  I  asked,  ''soar  back  on  wings  across  the 
high  Alps  to-night?"  Another  addressed  me  with  a  look  of  un- 
utterable disgust:  "This  diabolical  fumigation!  Here  we  have 
come  from  the  healthy  air  and  pure  habits  of  the  Rhine  and  the 
Alps,  and  must  be  smoked  by  these  dirty  Italians!  It  is  they 
that  stand  in  need  of  being  fumigated,  and  not  we!" 

Two  days  later  quarantine  was  established  here,  which  required 
all  persons  entering  from  the  Tyrol  to  be  locked  up  for  five  days, 
in  a  gloomy  place,  among  a  crowd  of  people  filthy  and  fair,  and 
bedrugged,  smoked  and  otherwise  treated  by  methods  which  to 
sensitive  nervous  people,  are  more  likely  to  cause  than  to  cure  the 
cholera. 

Venice,  Rome,  Milan  with  their  artistic  and  historic  riches  had 
received  swift  attention.  The  Como  letter  pays  its  respects  to 
a  little  denizen  of  that  sleepy,  sunny  land  which  rarely  receives 
literary  attention: 

In  an  Italian  midsummer  all  things  hving,  save  the  fleas,  get 
drowsy  or  fall  to  dreaming.  At  this  writing  (1  P.  M.)  one  is  fast 
asleep,  with  head  pillowed  on  the  table  where  I  pen  these  lines; 
but  the  fleas  are  the  most  thoroughly  wide-awake  people  in  Italy. 
Although  a  feeble  folk,  they  ply  their  annoying  trade  at  all  hours 


244  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

of  the  day  and  night  with  an  energy  worthy  of  a  better  cause. 
They  are  a  crafty,  cunning  and  cruel  vermin.  Robert  Burns 
once  wrote  a  pretty  little  poem  on  a  louse  which  he  watched 
crawling  over  a  lady's  bonnet,  as  he  sat  near  her  in  church.  Per- 
haps had  he  himself  felt  the  fangs  of  the  vile  intruder,  he  would 
have  reserved  his  rare  gifts  for  a  worthier  subject.  The  moral 
of  his  poem  is  good  enough: 

O  wad  some  power  the  gif  tie  gie  us,  to  see  ourselves  as  ithers  see  us. 

But  there  is  just  where  the  rub  comes  in  with  the  fleas.  You  cannot 
see  them.  It  may  have  been  an  unkind  feeling  which  prompted 
the  wish  in  me:  could  I  only  gather  these  wretched  things  in  a 
thimble,  I  would  lay  them  on  a  blacksmith's  anvil  and  with  one 
mighty  stroke  of  his  largest  hammer,  convert  them  into  a  spot  of 
grease. 

The  letter  closes: 

f  The  evening  shades  are  now  falling  on  the  lake.  In  this 
dreamy  land  of  a  great  past,  I  devoutly  think  of  my  own  dear 
country.  It  has  no  past  like  this,  but  surely  more  of  a  future. 
I  turn  away  from  these  grand,  gaudy  and  almost  ghostly  churches, 
to  the  plain  churches  and  stirring  working  congregations  of  my 
own  country,  throbbing  with  a  present,  growing  gospel  life. 
Thus  musing  by  the  lake  of  a  quiet  Sabbath  evening,  I  reverently 
said  in  my  inmost  soul:   "Hail  Columbia,  happy  land!" 

Nearly  three  weeks  were  given  to  the  cities,  lakes  and  moun- 
tains of  Switzerland.  Dr.  Bausman  was  particularly  gratified  in 
learning  of  a  more  evangelical  spirit  among  ministers  and 
churches.  The  Easier  Mission  House  was  studied  with  as  keen 
an  interest  as  on  the  former  visit. 

Nearly  four  weeks  were  bestowed  on  the  section  of  Germany 
between  Stuttgart  and  Ems.  Of  special  interest  was  Bad  Boll, 
a  decidedly  religious  health  resort,  spoken  of,  by  some,  as  the 
"celebrated  Blumhart  prayer  cure  establishment,  which  father 
and  son  have  presided  over  for  forty  years."  Pastor  Blumhart 
as  Hausvater  gave  practical,  warm-hearted  religious  addresses 
daily  to  his  guests  and  very  much  impressed  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Baus- 
man. 

At  Bischweiler,  the  home  of  Dr.  Bausman's  mother's  ancestors, 
they  sought  and  found  persons  of  the  Peters'  name,  but 


EUROPE   AND    CALIFORNIA  245 

could  not  trace  any  connection  between  any  of  them  and  our 
Peters'  ancestors  in  America.  Noticed  a  striking  resemblance 
in  nose,  eyes  and  face  generally  to  Uncle  Jacob  Peters  and  Aunty 
Breneman. 

They  tarried  at  Kreutznach,  where  Dr.  Bausman  secured 
souvenir  canes,  one  for  each  of  his  brothers,  and  at  Bingen, 
precious  with  memories,  and  spent  a  few  days  with  the  Bausman 
relatives  at  Freilaubersheim.  On  the  way  to  Berlin,  they  stopped 
one  day  in  Cassel. 

"One  of  the  most  charming  personal  visits  we  made  in  Europe" 
was  the  call  at  Potsdam  on  the  three  daughters  of  the  celebrated 
court  preacher,  Dr.  F.  W.  Krummacher — "who  in  the  September 
of  life  welcomed  and  blessed  us  so  tenderly  in  this  month  of 
September."  Dr.  Bausman  had  met  them  on  his  former  visit. 
In  the  crowded  Dom  Kirche,  they  heard  court  preacher  Adolf 
Stocker  preach  a  "plain,  robust,  fearless  sermon  for  such  an 
audience. " 

In  a  letter  to  one  of  his  parishioners  Dr.  Bausman  described 
their  visit  to  "the  largest  market  in  Berlin;"  he  added: 

In  all  my  married  life  I  have  never  bought  nor  borne  a  basket  of 
marketing  for  and  to  our  home.  This  visit  to  the  Gens  d'  Armer 
market  seemed  like  a  partial  atonement  for  duties  long  neglected. 
Among  the  most  enjoyable  sights  in  all  the  markets  which  we 
have  visited  was  the  sight  of  Mrs.  Bausman's  pranks.  She  was 
as  happy  as  a  little  girl  on  her  first  visit  to  a  to3^-shop.  But  jesting 
aside,  I  have  learned  much  in  the  market  places  of  Europe.  For 
here  one  can  study  human  nature  in  a  manner  not  taught  in 
books. 

Six  days  sufliced  for  the  German  metropolis.  On  the  way  to 
Paris,  they  were  fortunate  in  the  day's  stop  at  Cologne,  for  the 
Emperor,  his  family  and  retinue  were  there  on  parade.  The 
present  Kaiser  was  then  the  Crown  Prince's  son  and  Dr.  Bausman 
said  of  him:  "He  is  slender;  his  face  youthful  and  bronzed,  not 
distinguished  looking,  more  English  than  German." 

A  week  was  given  to  Paris.  On  the  Sunday  spent  there,  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Bausman  attended  several  church  services  and  heard 
a  sermon  in  French  of  which  they  "understood  nothing."  We 
note  this  comment  on  the  day: 


246  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

Heard  good  music.  Spiritually  a  barren  Sabbath,  yet  learned 
useful  lessons.  The  world  of  Paris,  like  that  of  Berlin,  seems  con- 
tent with  mere  earthly  happiness.  Little  concerned  for  eternal 
things. 

It  was  now  October  and  they  must  turn  homeward.  They 
tarried  again  in  London  several  days  and  had  the  pleasure  of 
hearing  Spurgeon  once  more. 

They  took  the  steamship  ^'Bothnia"  at  Liverpool.  After  a 
stormy  voyage  they  reached  New  York — and  arrived  at  Read- 
ing, October  22nd.  Friends  and  church  officials  met  them  at 
the  wharf  and  at  several  railroad  stations  and  gave  them  a 
hearty  welcome  home,  in  their  house  all  decorated  and  set  in  or- 
der. 

The  last  entry  in  Dr.  Bausman's  diary  of  this  European  trip 
reads : 

O,  the  joy  of  getting  home!  The  prettiest  scene  I  beheld  since 
June  4th,  last,  I  saw  from  the  steamer  deck  this  morning  as  the 
sun  rose  above  the  forests  of  Long  Island.  The  joy  and  grati- 
tude to  God  in  getting  into  one's  own  quiet  home,  after  such  an 
absence  are  beyond  utterance.  One  feels,  as  I  often  felt  and 
did  during  our  journey,  like  praying  and  repeating  all  the  doxolo- 
gies  he  knows. 

Lengthy  and  elaborate  accounts  of  the  things  seen,  heard  and 
felt  on  these  travels  were  written  in  simple  German  for  the  Haus- 
jreund  and  appeared  in  the  several  issues  during  July,  August  and 
September.  They  often  occupied  nearly  one-fourth  of  the 
space  of  the  entire  issue.  A  feature  of  peculiar  interest  in  these 
articles  arose  from  the  fact  that  in  England,  Scotland,  Germany 
and  Switzerland,  wherever  Dr.  Bausman  could  converse  with  the 
plain  working  people  and  with  the  women  and  children,  he  sought 
to  see  them  as  they  were  and  get  their  views  of  life.  As  he  put 
it  to  a  Reading  Herald  reporter: 

I  made  labor  and  the  condition  of  the  working  people  a  study 
wherever  I  went.  I  mixed  with  laborers  and  picked  up  conver- 
sation with  them  whenever  there  was  an  opportunity.  I  asked 
street  scrapers  and  mechanics  about  their  wages  and  work  and 
formed  the  impression  that  there  is  much  dissatisfaction  there 
about  wages. 


EUROPE   AND    CALIFORNIA  247 

He  said  further  to  the  reporter: 

I  went  to  Europe,  not  so  much  to  travel  as  for  rest ;  but  I  found 
that  my  mind  was  too  active  and  I  was  not  contented  to  remain 
long  in  one  place.  I  saw  many  things  from  which  I  profited  and 
from  which  Americans,  generally,  might  profit  in  the  forms  of 
government,  the  treatment  of  the  soil,  industrial  pursuits,  schools, 
etc.,  but  all  in  all  America  is  beyond  comparison  with  them. 

Two  days  after  the  return  followed  the  "Grand  Welcome 
Home"  in  St.  Paul's  Church,  which  was  overcrowded  with  mem- 
bers, Sunday-school  scholars  and  friends.  In  the  quiet  of  his 
home  after  the  reception,  he  wrote:  "Never  had  such  a  hand- 
shaking. Never  dreamed  that  our  dear  people  clung  to  us  so 
tenderly.     I  think  it  was  the  happiest  occasion  of  my  life." 

Dr.  Mosser,  speaking  for  the  Reformed  clergy,  in  happy  strain 
said : 

We  have  taken  a  great  interest  in  your  voyage.  We  followed 
you  to  Belfast  and  were  glad  that  your  voice  was  heard  in  that 
great  Council.  We  followed  you  to  London,  but  were  rather 
amazed  to  hear  that  you  stopped  at  Ludgate  Circus,  though  we 
felt  sure  you  were  always  an  upright  Christian  man  wherever 
you   went. 

"Then  came  the  speech  of  the  evening  in  Dr.  Bausman's  re- 
sponse," says  the  Herald: 

I  need  hardly  tell  you  that  we  are  overwhelmed  by  this  wealth 
of  welcome.  I  am  not  possessed  of  a  very  great  degree  of  self- 
confidence,  and  there  is  nothing  that  hazes  my  poor  mind  so  much 
as  an  occasion  of  this  kind.  Two  months  ago  an  evening  group  of 
French  and  German  ministers  were  chatting  together  in  a  village 
in  Wiirttemberg,  when  one  of  them,  a  very  distinguished  theolo- 
gian, asked  me  about  my  flock.  I  told  them  that  my  Consistory 
had  given  me  a  four-month's  vaction,  and  as  much  more  as  I 
desired,  to  rest  myself.  They  were  all  astonished  and  several  of 
them  remarked  that  such  a  thing  was  impossible  in  their  country. 

I  feel  grateful  to  you  all  for  your  kind  remembrance  of  us.  I 
think  more  of  humanity  than  ever  before.  I  think  the  world  is 
not  so  bad  as  it  is  sometimes  said  to  be.  Reading,  however,  is 
more  precious  and  elevating  to  me  than  Brussels  and  Paris  with 
all  their  gaiety.  It  is  said  to  be  worth  a  visit  to  Europe  to  see  the 
Rhine.     I  think  it  is  worth  a  visit  to  Europe  to  come  home  again. 


248  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

The  Western  Tour 
The  diary  of  Monday,  July  5,  1886,  reads: 

Left  home  at  noon  for  Colorado  and  California,  via  Columbia 
and  Baltimore.  As  heretofore,  I  and  wife  go  together — I  chiefly 
for  the  improvement  of  my  health.  Still  have  catarrh  in  the 
upper  part  of  my  throat.  Dr.  Beaver  urges  me  to  go  away  for 
awhile. 

O  Father,  order  all  our  journey  for  us;  keep  us  from  harm  and 
sin.  Sanctify  these  mercies  to  the  invigoration  of  our  bodies  and 
spirits  and  for  thy  glory.     Amen. 

Dr.  J.  O.  Miller  of  York,  Pa.,  and  Dr.  E.  R.  Eschbach  of  Fred- 
erick, Md.,  arranged  the  tour.  They  were  both  members  of  the 
Board  of  Home  Missions.  It  was  the  desire  to  study  the  home 
missionary  field  of  the  Reformed  Church  as  well  as  to  see  the 
wonders  of  the  great  West  that  called  them  to  these  travels.  The 
invitation  to  join  the  party  furnished  the  opportunity  to  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Bausman  of  taking  in  most  pleasant  fashion  this  journey 
which  they  had  often  contemplated. 

Prof.  J.  E.  Kershner,  of  Franklin  and  Marshall  College,  and 
several  ladies  made  up  the  party  of  eight,  which,  as  he  said  in 
the  Hausfreund 

enjoys  itself  like  a  natural  family  of  which  Dr.  J.  O.  Miller  is 
the  solicitous  father.  He  chooses  the  hotels,  pays  the  bills, 
arranges  railroad  matters,  writes  letters,  telegraphs  and  goes  here 
and  there  through  dust  and  heat  for  the  welfare  of  his  children.  If 
anyone  has  any  sickness  or  complaint,  he  is  always  ready  with  his 
fatherly  advice. 

So  carefully  planned  to  see  most  in  the  shortest  time  was  this 
"great  Excursion  Party,"  that  Dr.  Bausman  insisted  on  calling 
it  because  of  their  strenuous  movements  the  "Great  Exertion 
Party." 

They  went  by  way  of  Washington  directly  to  St.  Louis.  There, 
at  Kansas  City,  Topeka  and  at  Denver  they  studied  the  mis- 
sionary situation  and  on  the  several  Sundays  preached  in  the 
Reformed  Missions. 

They  visited  Colorado  Springs,  attempted  to  climb  Gray's 
Peak  and  spent  Sunday  in  Salt  Lake  City.     Dr.  and  Mrs.  Baus- 


EUROPE   AND    CALIFORNIA  249 

man  were  present  at  a  communion  service  of  the  Latter  Day- 
Saints  in  the  Mormon  Temple,  but  "left  before  it  was  through. 
I  felt  relieved  when  I  was  out.  Do  not  feel  comfortable  especi- 
ally on  the  Lord's  day  in  such  a  place." 

At  a  frontier  junction  while  the  party  were  waiting  for  a  train, 
Dr.  Bausman  was  sitting  on  the  edge  of  the  platform,  pencil 
and  tablet  in  hand.  Dr.  Eschbach  approached  him  and  said, 
"What  are  you  doing?"  He  replied,  "I  am  doing  what  you 
should  do,  I  am  writing  a  letter  to  my  Sunday-school."  These 
occasional  letters  from  the  absent  pastor  were,  of  course  much 
appreciated  by  the  school. 

They  took  in  the  wonders  of  the  Yosemite  and  the  big  trees 
of  Mariposa,  which  called  forth  this  exclamation:  "I  bless  God 
that  he  permitted  me  to  see  these  trees.  They  are  among  the 
few  great  wonders  I  have  seen — greater  than  the  pyramid  of 
Cheops  or  the  Forum  and  Coliseum  of  Rome." 

Dr.  Bausman  wrote  in  the  'Messenger: 

The  journey  is  made  in  six-horse  stages.  The  four  daj^s  re- 
quired to  reach  and  return  from  this  Yosemite  Valley  were  filled 
with  some  of  the  roughest  and  most  toilsome  travel  of  my  life. 
I  am  very  glad  to  have  been  there,  and  very  thankful  to  have 
gotten  out  safely,  and  promise  never  to  repeat  the  adventure. 

As  the  driver  careers  down  the  steep  mountain,  with  a  firm  grip 
on  the  lines,  his  foot  on  the  brake,  and  his  keen  wide-awake  eyes 
on  the  horses,  one  wonders  how  he  can  turn  a  certain  short  curve 
ahead.  The  front  horses  gracefully  wind  around  the  perilous 
edge,  but  the  tongue  of  the  stage  points  directly  down  over  a 
wall  of  1,000  feet,  and  it  looks  very  much  as  if  it  would  take  us 
that  way.  You  clench  the  end  of  the  seat,  bite  your  lips,  and 
watch  how  skillfully  the  wheels  are  kept  three  inches  from  a 
plunge  down  the  mountain.  Often  the  hub  of  the  wheel  comes 
within  an  inch  or  two  of  a  rock  or  tree.  Education  is  a  great 
comforter  even  in  its  lessons  of  mountain  adventures.  You  soon 
become  hardened  to  blood-curdling  sights. 

Long  shall  I  gratefully  remember  the  services  of  Stephens, 
Geo.  Munroe,  Tom  Gordon  and  Tom  Martin.  Stepping  off  the 
unroofed  stage  at  the  close  of  day,  I  would  thank  them  personally 
for  bringing  us  without  hurt  of  life  or  limb,  over  such  break- 
neck roads.  Munroe  is  a  black  man  with  a  clear,  cool  head  and  a 
brave  heart,  about  forty  years  of  age  and  admitted  to  be  the  best 
stage  driver  in  California.     He  and  another  are  the  only  old 


250  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

drivers  under  whom  no  passenger  has  ever  been  hurt.  Chewing 
his  quid  of  tobacco  with  the  regularity  of  a  pendulum,  without 
crack  of  whip  or  jerk  of  lines,  he  gently  spoke  to  his  horses  by 
name,  as  if  they  were  personal  friends.  After  changing  horses 
no  passenger  dare  take  his  seat  until  Munroe  takes  his  seat,  with 
lines  in  hand.  A  remarkable  man  and  a  faithful  servant  of  tour- 
ists over  one  of  the  most  perilous  stage  roads  on  the  continent. 
A  blessing  on  him  and  his  associates  in  service.    - 

They  went  as  far  south  as  Los  Angeles,  then  a  city  of  42,000 
inhabitants,  5,000  of  whom  were  Chinese.  Of  them  he  wrote: 
' '  I  have  been  repeatedly  assured  that  with  the  present  class  of 
unreliable  white  laborers,  California  could  not  possibly  prosecute 
its  various  industrial  pursuits  without  Chinese  help." 

After  making  a  perilous  tour  of  the  Chinese  quarter  in  San 
Francisco,  Dr.  Bausman  formed  his  own  opinion  of  this  question, 
which  is  now  of  special  interest  after  a  generation's  further  ex- 
perience with  Orientals  on  the  Pacific  coast:  "  I  am  now  convinced 
that  our  government  should  not  allow  the  Chinese  in  the  land. 
Such  pits  of  iniquity  poison  and  devastate  the  life  of  this  whole 
state.  The  government  must  interfere  with  these  beastly  practices. ' ' 

Another  spell  of  the  inevitable  seasickness  was  in  store  for  Dr. 
Bausman — the  last  of  his  life  and  with  what  irony  of  fate,  too — 
on  the  Pacific! — between  San  Francisco  and  Astoria.  The  party 
went  further  by  boat  to  Portland  and  then  up  the  Columbia  to 
Dalles,  whence  by  train  to  Yellowstone  Park. 

The  church  problem  was  discussed  with  the  Reformed  mis- 
sionaries in  Portland  and  San  Francisco  and  what  he  said  then  of 
Los  Angeles  is  all  that  can  be  said  now  regarding  the  Reformed 
Church  there,  except  that  the  constituency  is  larger: 

There  are  a  number  of  German  families  of  the  Reformed  Church 
in  and  around  the  place.  The  feasibility  of  placing  a  missionary 
here  with  a  view  of  founding  a  Reformed  congregation  has  been 
discussed  by  some  of  the  Mission  Boards  of  our  Church,  but  thus 
far  without  leading  to  any  tangible  results. 

Dr.  Bausman  could  not  fail  to  be  impressed  by  the  strange 
wonders  of  the  great  National  Park  and  this  ^^rayer  is  found  in 
the  Journal:  "Feel  thankful  to  God  fort  he  privilege^oTseemg 
this  park  and  entreat  Him  most  fervently  for  grace  that  it  may 
make  us  holier,  meeker  and  more  devoted  children  of  His." 


EUROPE   AND    CALIFORNIA  251 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Bausman  stopped  on  a  Saturday  evening  in 
Bismarck,  Dakota,  to  the  surprise  of  the  remainder  of  the  party, 
who  went  on  to  St.  Paul  for  the  night.  "We  resolved  to  rest 
quietly  here  and  travel  no  more  on  Sunday,"  as  they  had  been 
obliged  to  do  twice  before,  though  he  was  "very  sorry  for  it." 
They  had  the  happy  compensation  of  finding  accidentally  at 
the  station  a  former  member  of  St.  Paul's  Church,  who  made  the 
two  day's  stay  in  the  frontier  capital  very  pleasant  for  them. 

A  few  days  were  given  to  St.  Paul  and  Minneapolis,  a  Sunday 
to  Chicago,  and  by  the  first  week  of  September,  they  were  quietly 
at  home  again  in  Reading,  after  having  "travelled  through  twenty- 
one  states  and  territories,  about  9,000  miles  in  fifty-eight  days." 

The  practical  outcome  to  the  Church  of  this  tour  was  Dr. 
Bausman's  favorable  impression  of  the  Middle  West  as  a  mission 
field  for  his  denomination  and  his  hearty  endorsement  and  help 
in  founding  Wichita  College.  Soon  after  his  return  he  wrote 
appeals  for  this  Kansas  College  in  the  Hausfreund  and  the  Mes- 
senger. The  citizens  of  Wichita  would  give  forty  acres  of  land 
and  raise  a  large  amount  of  money.  The  Church  at  large  was 
asked  to  give  one-third  as  much. 

This  will  be  the  most  liberal  offer  made  to  the  Reformed  Church 
west  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains. 

This  movement  is  a  golden  opportunity  calling  for  a  prompt 
response  on  the  part  of  the  Church. 

Such  an  institution  is  needed  to  educate  yoimg  men  in  the  West 
for  the  ministry  and  other  pursuits  in  life.  The  West  cannot 
educate  its  ministers  in  the  East.  The  experience  of  other 
Churches  proves  this. 

Such  an  institution  would  challenge  denominational  recogni- 
tion of  the  Reformed  Church  west  of  the  Mississippi.  We  have 
not  yet  made  a  recognized  impression  on  the  religious  life  of  the 
far  West.  It  is  exceedingly  humiliating  to  be  confronted  con- 
tinually with  the  question,  "Who  are  you"  (ecclesiastically)? 
This  has  a  depressing,  indeed  a  demoralizing  effect  upon  our 
Reformed  people  of  the  West.  Plant  a  first-class  college  in  Kan- 
sas, animated  by  the  vigorous  thought  of  the  East  and  pulsating 
with  the  best  life  of  the  West,  and  the  people  will  soon  learn  to 
know  and  respect  the  Reformed  Church. 

Is  the  Reformed  Church  to  share  in  the  glorious  work  of  evan- 
gelizing the  great  West?  Or  is  she  to  content  herself  with  her 
acquisitions  and  work  in  the  East?     God  forbid.     The  founding 


252  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

of  this  college  in  Wichita  would  have  a  grand  moral  effect  upon 
our  people  in  the  East.  Our  denominational,  as  well  as  personal, 
sympathies  need  enlargement.  They  must  be  made  as  broad 
and  far-reaching  as  the  continent,  not  only  in  theory,  but  in 
actual  practice. 

The  amount  needed  is  $15,000.  Please  send  your  gifts  or 
subscriptions  from  $100  to  $1,000  and  upwards,  without  delay 
to  Rev.  D.  B.  Shuey,  Emporia,  Kansas,  or  to  B.  Bausman. 

After  reading  my  appeal  in  to-day's  Messenger,  I  knelt  down 
at  my  table  and  wept  to  God  about  it.     0  Lord,  send  help. 

Shortly  after  this  we  read  again  in  the  diary:  "I  wept  for  joy 
to-day  when  I  received  a  letter  from  brother  Jacob,  offering  to 
subscribe  $1,000  to  Wichita  College."  Dr.  Bausman  himself 
gave  several  thousand  dollars  to  the  institution,  which  ceased 
to  exist  in  1895. 

The  Rev.  D.  B.  Shuey  says  in  a  recent  letter: 

It  was  largely  due  to  the  interest  Dr.  Bausman  and  others  took, 
that  the  institution  at  Wichita  was  able  to  run  as  long  as  it  did. 
If  it  had  not  been  for  the  panic  and,  therefore,  the  inability  of 
the  Church  in  the  West  to  give  aid,  the  institution  would  to-day 
be  flourishing  and  doing  good  work  for  the  Western  Church. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

Editor  of  the  Guardian — 1867-1881 

IT  was  three  years  after  coming  to  Reading  and  when  he  was 
crowded  with  general  church  work  and  was  entering  on 
the  most  trying  period  of  his  pastorate  in  the  old  First  Church, 
that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bausman  assumed  the  double  editorial  task 
of  the  Guardian  and  the  newly-established  Hausfreund.  For 
fifteen  years  he  drove  abreast  these  two  literary  coursers  and  then 
laid  aside  the  reins  of  the  former. 

Mr.  Bausman  was  chosen  editor  of  the  Guardian  by  Dr.  Har- 
baugh,  its  founder,  who  for  seventeen  years  had  edited  the  little 
magazine.  The  Mercershurg  Review  after  being  discontinued  for 
five  years  was  published  again  in  1867  and  Dr.  Harbaugh,  pro- 
fessor of  Theology  in  the  Seminary,  became  its  editor.  In  the 
first  issue  of  the  Guardian  for  the  year  1867,  Dr.  Harbaugh  said: 

This,  as  anyone  will  readily  see,  requires  that  the  editing  of 
the  Guardian  should  be  devolved  upon  another. 

The  name  of  our  new  editor  appears  on  the  title  page — one 
into  whose  hands  this  work  falls  at  our  own  suggestion,  and  one 
whose  name  and  experience  may  well  give  assurance  to  all,  that 
the  magazine  will  be  conducted  with  energy  and  success. 

Nor  is  the  work  of  an  editor  new  to  him,  having  labored  some 
years  very  successfully  in  this  peculiar  department  and  what  is 
more  than  all,  he  loves  the  young,  and  has  himself  a  heart  that 
will  never  grow  old. 

In  his  ''Introductory"  the  new  editor  said: 

We  have  learned  from  experience  that  it  is  not  an  easy  task  to 
succeed  Dr.  H.  Harbaugh.  His  writings,  like  himself,  are  unique. 
His  mode  of  thinking,  writing  and  speaking,  are  peculiar  to 
himself.     They  are  inherited  qualities,  but  cannot  be  acquired. 

We  preached  our  first  sermon  in  Dr.  Harbaugh's  church. 
His  kindly  sympathy  with  us  in  our  timid  maiden  effort,  we 
shall   ever  gratefully  remember.     Now   his   hand   leads   us   on 

253 


254  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

another  pulpit;  he  bids  us  speak  in  his  stead.  Into  the  Guar- 
dian he  breathed  the  dewy  freshness  of  his  May-day  Hfe.  Who 
can  follow  him  without  embarrassment?  Our  misgivings  in 
assuming  the  editorial  management  can  easily  be  accounted  for. 
The  spirit  and  aims  of  the  Guardian  shall  be  as  heretofore.  No 
efforts  shall  be  spared  to  make  it  instructive.  Such  as  we  have 
we  give.  In  his  language  used  fifteen  years  ago,  we  devoutly 
pray  that  "the  spirit  of  purity  may  preside  over  its  pages,  and 
keep  us  from  publishing  a  line, 

"Which  dying,  we  could  wish  to  blot." 

The  high  standard  of  the  magazine  was  well  maintained 
under  Dr.  Bausman.  He  put  upon  it  a  tremendous  amount  of 
labor.  He  wrote  for  every  issue.  Some  numbers  were  filled 
almost  entirely  by  his  pen. 

He  said  in  his  second  "New  Year's  Greeting:" 

The  most  of  our  readers  are  to  us  personally  unknown.  There 
are  but  few  with  whom  we  have  mingled  in  social  intercourse. 
They  are  "unknown  to  us  and  yet  well  known."  One  year's 
labor  has  endeared  them  to  us  with  singular  tenderness.  Writ- 
ing for  them  has  daily  kept  their  wants  and  well-being  before 
our  mind.  Our  readers  have  become  to  us  a  sort  of  second 
pastorate.  In  our  holiest  hours,  in  the  heart's  deepest  unburden- 
ings  before  the  mercy-seat,  we  pour  their  wants  into  the  ears  of 
the  all-merciful  Father  as  though  they  were  the  sheep  of  our 
fold. 

The  Guardian  was  the  forerunner  of  the  Heidelberg  Teacher 
and  the  distinctive  Sunday-school  literature  in  the  Reformed 
Church.  It  was  during  Dr.  Bausman's  editorship  that  the  Sun- 
day-school department  was  opened.  It  began  in  February, 
1872.  How  it  originated,  we  see  from  a  diary  note:  "Awoke 
at  five — meditated — got  an  idea  to  open  a  department  in  the 
Guardian  on  Bible  Class  talk." 

In  doing  this,  he  was  simply  responding  to  a  demand  in  the 
Church  which  was  increasing,  and  three  years  later  the  Sunday- 
school  department  was  extended  to  ten  or  twelve  pages  and 
the  several  lessons  of  every  month  were  given  full  treatment,  by 
a  lesson  committee  who  relieved  Dr.  Bausman  of  that  end  of 
the  work. 

It  was  not  easy  to  get  persons  to  write  much  and  often  for  this 


EDITOR   OF   THE    GUARDIAN  255 

periodical,  for  on  the  part  of  editor  and  contributors  it  was  al- 
together a  labor  of  love  without  monetary  compensation.  A 
letter  to  Dr.  Steiner  when  the  Sunday-school  lesson  department 
was  being  planned  is,  no  doubt,  typical  of  many  personal  pleas 
the  editor  made;  even  as  in  the  open  columns  of  the  magazine 
he  often  implored  those  who  were  able  to  send  in  fitting  con- 
tributions : 

Please  help  me  with  the  Guardian.  Any  matter  for  the  Sun- 
day-school or  the  other  department  will  be  thankfully  received. 
Let  us  try  and  make  the  Guardian  a  first-class  Sunday-school 
teacher's  monthly,  in  full  sympathy  with  the  doctrines  and  usages 
of  our  Church.  Please  tell  Brother  Eschbach  for  me  to  write 
for  it  whenever  he  can. 

A  response  to  a  similar  appeal  from  one  of  the  most  gifted  of 
writers  and  beloved  of  teachers  will  be  of  interest: 

Lancaster,  Dec.  20,  1866. 
Rev.  Benjamin  Bausman. 
Dear  Sir: 

Your  too  complimentary  letter,  as  I  must  call  it,  has  been  duly 
received,  and  I  am  pleased  to  learn  that  the  Guardian  has  fallen 
into  such  good  hands.  My  engagements  will  not  permit  me  to 
send  a  communication  for  the  January  number;  but  I  promise 
you  that  I  will  be  an  occasional  contributor,  and  I  shall  en- 
deavor also  to  persuade  others  to  write.  Wishing  you  all  success 
in  this  undertaking,  as  also  a  Merry  Christmas  and  a  Happy 
New  Year, 

I  remain  as  ever, 

Yours  sincerely, 

Wm.  M.  Nevin. 

Thirty-two  pages  had  to  be  filled  with  acceptable  reading 
matter  every  month,  and  when  contributors  did  not  help,  the 
task  was  the  editor's  alone.  He  always  met  it,  even  through 
summer  and  sickness,  but  it  was  strenuous  business  from  which 
he  more  than  once  sought  relief.  A  diary  entry  in  November, 
1874,  gives  a  hint  of  his  attitude:  ''Board  of  Publication  in 
Philadelphia  till  midnight — had  to  consent  to  continue  editor  of 
the  Guardian." 

In  his  "Parting  Greeting,"  December,  1881,  Dr.  Bausman 
said: 


256  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

Through  all  these  years  the  Guardian  gave  me  much  pleasure. 
I  wove  into  its  texture  my  heart's  warmest  sympathies,  my  mind's 
purest  thoughts,  and  often  in  writing  for  it,  have  I  felt  the  touches 
of  the  warm  throbbings  and  fresh  glow  of  the  young,  in  whose 
behalf  I  labored.  I  love  the  young  now  no  less  than  fifteen  years 
ago.  I  am  as  much  in  sympathy  with  them  now  as  then.  My 
health  is  vigorous,  God  be  praised.  Still,  advancing  years  ad- 
monish me  to  lighten  my  burdens,  and,  as  it  is  easier  to  find  an 
editor  for  the  Guardian  than  for  the  Hausfreund,  I  withdraw 
from  the  former. 

Although  no  longer  an  editorial  contributor,  I  hope  now  and 
then  to  furnish  something  for  its  pages.  It  affords  me  pleasure 
to  report  that  it  now  has  a  larger  subscription  list  than  at  any 
previous  period  of  its  history. 

I  part  editorially  from  the  Guardian  with  feelings  of  sadness, 
not  unlike  those  of  personal  bereavement,  as  though  one  very 
near  to  my  heart  were  about  to  be  taken  out  of  my  sight.  Yet 
this  feeling  is  materially  mollified  by  the  assurance  that  my  suc- 
cessor in  office  is  one  of  its  faithful  and  long  tried  friends.  I 
take  great  pleasure  in  introducing  to  the  readers  and  patrons  of 
this  magazine,  Dr.  J.  H.  Dubbs,  whose  busy  and  able  pen  has 
often  enriched  its  pages.  His  appointment  by  the  Board  of 
Publication  is  a  guarantee  that  the  Guardian,  as  from  its  first 
number,  published  thirty-two  years  ago,  shall  continue  to  breathe 
the  spirit  of  Life,  Light,  Love. 

After  retiring  from  the  editorship,  Dr.  Bausman  contributed 
occasionally  to  its  pages.  Dr.  Dubbs  continued  editor  for  four 
years  and  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  Henry  M.  Kieffer.  In  1891, 
the  Guardian  as  such  was  discontinued  and  the  Missionary  Guar- 
dian, as  the  organ  of  the  Home  and  Foreign  Mission  Boards  of 
the  Church,  took  its  place,  with  the  Rev.  A.  C.  Whitmer  as  edi- 
tor. 

The  discontinuance  of  the  Guardian  occasioned  great  regret 
on  the  part  of  many.  It  was  "Christian  first  and  literary  after- 
ward, a  quickener  of  minds,  an  awakener  of  souls."  It  thus 
rendered  the  highest  and  most  valuable  service  in  the  realm  of 
religious  education,  for  which  bustling  church  activities  cannot 
compensate.  However,  the  magazine  could  not  resist  the  pres- 
sure of  the  more  practical  spirit  of  the  Church.  The  Rev.  A. 
C.  Whitmer  says  that  in  the  end,  "the  introduction  of  comments 
on  the  Sunday-school  lessons  won  less  friends  than   it   lost." 


EDITOR   OF   THE    GUARDIAN  257 

Dr.  Dubbs  averred  a  few  months  before  his  death,  that  it  was  a 
great  mistake  to  discontinue  the  magazine;  nothing  takes  its 
place  and  there  was  no  occasion  to  do  so,  because  it  was  still  a 
paying  proposition.  The  competition  of  the  many  large,  cheap, 
illustrated  papers  and  magazines  was  increasingly  difficult  to 
meet  and  the  real  surprise  is  that  a  magazine  of  such  a  character, 
winning  its  way  by  its  solid  merit  alone,  should  continue  so  long. 
To  have  lived  for  forty-one  years  is  a  high  tribute  to  its  several 
editors,  and  to  the  devoted  little  group  of  contributors  who 
"wrote  not  for  pay,  but  out  of  love  for  the  truth  and  interest 
they  felt  in  the  young  readers  of  the  Guardian." 
In  closing  the  twentieth  volume.  Dr.  Bausman  said: 

For  a  religious  journal,  this  is  a  good  long  life.  For  in  this 
country  religious  monthlies  have  been  singularly  unfortunate. 
A  large  number  have  had  but  a  short  existence.  The  Guardian 
is  one  of  the  very  few  that  has  lived  to  be  twenty  years  old. 

The  Guardian  breathed  the  spirit  of  the  Reformed  Church, 
although  it  had  many  readers  outside  of  the  denomination.  It 
developed  denominational  consciousness  and  made  intelligent 
Christians.  It  enriched  and  broadened  the  lives  of  its  readers. 
It  won  souls  to  the  Christian  life,  made  staunch  church  mem- 
bers and  led  not  a  few  into  the  Christian  ministry.  It  nurtured 
a  sane  piety  and  a  genuine  Christian  culture,  and  gave  a  tone  of 
high  devotion  and  broad  sympathy  and  a  distinctive  religious 
flavor  to  those  who  imbibed  its  spirit.  It  was  beloved  by  its 
readers,  who  were  bereaved  as  of  a  friend  when  it  was  suffered  to 
die. 

Dr.  J.  Spangler  Kieffer  says  of  it: 

In  these  days  of  multitudinous  magazines  of  the  most  bril- 
liant and  interesting  character,  it  would  be  hard  to  understand 
the  significance  and  interest  which  this  slender  and  modest 
periodical  possessed  for  its  readers.  In  many  a  home  of  the 
Reformed  Church,  it  was  the  solitary  representative  of  the 
world  of  current  literature.  It  was  read  by  many  a  boy  and 
girl  with  that  eager,  absorbed,  oblivious  sort  of  reading,  which  is 
the  kind  that  tells. 

The  fragrance  of  the  country  was  upon  its  pages.     Its  con- 
stituency were  living  or  for  the  most  part  had  been  reared  in 
17 


258  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

rural  surroundings.  Dr.  Harbaugh  founded  it  because  of  his 
conviction  that  the  city  magazines,  good  as  they  were  in  many 
ways,  were  "  not  such  as  rightly  meet  this  want.  Their  spirit  is 
not  the  spirit  of  the  country,  and  the  region  of  romance  in 
which  they  move  is  far  removed  from  the  real  wants  of  real  life." 

The  atmosphere  of  the  magazine  was  wholesome.  Its  homely 
wisdom  could  well  be  pondered  in  the  twentieth  century.  It 
rejoiced  in  the  beauty  and  glory  of  the  simple,  common  life. 
The  educative  value  of  the  godly  home  and  of  the  Church  was 
exalted.     It  hated  humbug. 

The  editors  in  their  search  for  contributions  sought  out  liter- 
ary talent  of  promise  and  young  men  were  trained  to  write.  We 
have  seen  how  Dr.  Harbaugh  prevailed  on  Mr.  Bausman  to  do 
literary  work  and  Dr.  Dubbs  was  urged  in  like  fashion,  even 
in  his  student  days  by  the  founder  of  the  Guardian. 

Dr.  Kieffer  says  in  his  beautiful  tribute  to  Dr.  Bausman,  in 
the  Messenger: 

He  not  only  wrote,  himself;  he  stimulated  others  to  write. 
He  was  on  the  lookout  for  new  and  young  writers  for  the  peri- 
odicals of  the  Church.  I  remember  when  a  young  man,  just 
leaving  the  Theological  Seminary,  being  asked  by  him,  for  con- 
tributions for  the  Guardian,  of  which  he  was  then  the  editor.  He 
was  quick  and  generous  in  his  appreciation  and  encouragement 
of  other  writers.  I  have  a  grateful  recollection  of  a  kindly  and 
warm-hearted  letter  once  written  by  him  to  me,  when  some- 
thing which  appeared  in  the  columns  of  this  paper  seemed  to 
touch  him  in  a  special  manner. 

When  we  look  for  the  leading  characteristic  of  Dr.  Bausman's 
magazine  writing,  we  find  it  in  the  biographical  note.  He  wrote 
a  multitude  of  articles  on  the  lives  of  interesting  and  useful  people. 
He  had  the  journalist's  knack  of  heading  his  articles  with  strik- 
ing and  suggestive  titles.  Bunyan  and  J.  J.  Astor  were  pre- 
sented as  "The  Bedford  Tinker,"  and  "The  Rothschild  of  Am- 
erica." The  warm  human  touch  was  in  all  his  writing  and  he 
himself  followed  the  kindly  advice  he  gave  the  Rev.  A.  C.  Whit- 
mer:  "Make  your  articles  juicy,  spicy,  attractive  and  the  people 
will  read  them  with  interest.  Let  the  personal  element  enter 
into  them  somewhat." 


EDITOR   OF   THE   GUARDIAN  259 

He  never  departed  from  his  serious  purpose,  but  he  was  wary 
of  using  the  serious  manner.  This  was  manifestly  his  meaning 
when  he  wrote: 

We  have  made  it  a  point  not  to  preach  in  the  Guardian.  From 
the  start,  we  guarded  against  it,  and  warned  our  contributors: 
Whatever  you  do,  don't  fall  to  preaching.  To  preach  here  is 
the  veriest  cant.  We  might  as  well  send  each  of  our  young 
readers  a  dose  of  opium,  as  a  dose  of  preaching  matter — either 
would  put  them  to  sleep  with  equal  success. 

Of  course,  there  were  exceptions  to  this  rule  and  he  admitted 
it.  The  hortatory  tone  is  little  in  evidence,  however,  and  for 
this  very  reason  his  writing  was  the  best  kind  of  preaching. 

His  humor  bubbled  over  on  every  occasion  with  the  sudden- 
ness and  surprise  of  a  spouting  geyser.  For  example,  he  gave 
this  sage  advice  to  the  younger  readers: 

How  to  fall  on  the  ice: 

1.  Try  to  do  your  falling  where  nobody  will  see  you. 

2.  Once  you  have  fallen,  do  not  look  around  whether  any- 
body sees  you.  Above  all,  do  not  get  angry  nor  swear  audibly 
nor  mentally. 

3.  If  any  one  invites  you  to  "Come  here,  and  I  will  pick  you 
up,"  don't  do  it.     Pick  yourself  up. 

4.  Try  and  slip  on  the  softest  part  of  the  ice,  and  let  yourself 
down  as  gently  as  possible. 

5.  After  all,  a  fall  on  the  ice,  even  if  you  do  break  a  limb, 
might  be  worse. 

This  humorous  faculty  helped  him  out  with  his  printer,  to 
whom  he  had  to  pay  his  respects  occasionally  when  mistakes 
crept  in.     A  paragraph  on  this  subject  will  interest  us: 

Besides  this  sundering  (now  don't  make  it  thundering)  quarrel 
in  the  Addams  family,  he  makes  me  call  parson  Stoy's  horse  "a 
hunting  steed,"  when  I  said  "a  panting  steed."  I  say  this  not 
to  chide  the  printer,  but  to  get  rid  of  the  mortification  of  mak- 
ing a  fool  of  myself  in  polite  company.  Without  doubt,  he  has 
a  sorry  time  of  it,  to  decipher  the  hieroglyphics  of  some  manu- 
scripts and  makes  many  a  correction  for  which  he  never  receives 
credit.  My  dear  fellow,  most  tenderly  do  I  sjrmpathize  with 
thee,  trying  to  disentangle  the  confused  interlined  stuff  dumped 
into  your  "copy."  A  blessing  on  the  printer.  Besides  his 
actual  service,  he  is  a  convenient  scapegoat.     Many  a  bungling 


260  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

writer  puts  all  his  defects  on  the  printer.  The  easiest  way  to 
get  rid  of  one's  literary  stupidities  is  to  call  them  typographical 
errors.  Half  written  words  he  must  guess  out.  Errors  of  spell- 
ing he  corrects  and  often  mends  a  bad  sentence,  yet  he  never 
receives  credit  for  either.     Not  only  poets  but 

Printers  lose  haK  the  praise  they  should  have  got, 
Could  it  be  known  what  they  discreetly  blot. 

When  he  closed  his  editorial  career  on  the  Guardian  he  said: 
"I  thankfully  think  of  the  patient  and  perplexed  printers,  to 
whom  my  erasures  and  interlinings  must  often  have  given  a 
world  of  trouble." 

On  this  sentence  the  church  paper  commented: 

This  is  the  place  where  the  deep  gratitude  should  come  in. 
Dear  reader,  did  you  ever  see  a  sheet  of  Dr.  Bausman's  manu- 
script? If  you  did,  it  must  have  reminded  you  of  a  map  of 
Boston.  We  would  like  to  see  a  page  of  it  enlarged  to  the  size 
of  modern  Athens  and  get  some  foot-weary  man  to  tread  the 
labyrinth,  following  the  lines  as  the  words  were  to  be  arranged 
by  a  compositor.  He  would  have  to  go  out  into  by-ways,  and 
turn  corners,  move  all  around  the  plot,  and  come  back  to  the 
point  of  departure  very  unexpectedly,  but  only  to  make  the 
journey  over  and  over  again.  He  would  realize  how  far  a  man 
may  walk  without  going  out  of  a  very  small  area,  and  believe 
that  the  serpentine  paths  of  a  gentleman's  grounds  might,  if 
stretched  out  in  a  straight  line,  be  measured  by  the  mile.  A 
genial,  old  typo  to  our  left  has  a  pair  of  eyes  that  twinkled  be- 
neath his  glasses  when  the  Doctor's  manuscript  came.  He  had 
become  used  to  it  and  says  it  didn't  trouble  him  half  as  much 
as  that  of  some  of  those  illiterate  fellows. 

Dr.  Bausman  did  not  shrink  from  the  unpleasant  and  delicate 
duty  of  rejecting  unsuitable  articles.  He  had  a  very  definite 
and  specific  purpose  in  the  paper  and  he  held  himself  to  it.  He 
said:  "We  must  husband  our  space  as  much  as  we  can,  if  pos- 
sible insert  nothing  which  aims  above,  below  or  aside  of  the 
mark. "     Thus  he  maintained  the  magazine's  standing  and  quality. 

Dr.  Bausman's  editorship  of  the  Guardian  was  in  the  bitter- 
est period  of  the  controversy  in  the  Reformed  Church  on  the 
Liturgical  Question;  but  not  even  an  echo  of  the  strife  was  heard 
in  this  little  forum.  However,  when  the  Peace  Movement  was 
launched  in  the  General  Synod  of   1878,   his  magazine  spoke 


EDITOR   OF   THE    GUARDIAN  261 

heartily  in  favor  of  it  and  called  on  all  the  readers  to  "pray  for 
the  peace  of  Jerusalem." 

The  varied  experiences  of  his  early  life  were  a  rich  field  for 
numerous  articles  and  therein  are  preserved  for  posterity  many 
of  the  quaint  old  customs  of  the  fathers. 

The  recurring  seasons  of  the  natural  year  and  of  the  church 
year,  especially  in  his  writings  for  the  Guardian,  were  given  proper 
recognition  and  interpretation.  Every  journey  he  might  take 
was  sure  to  furnish  grist  for  his  mill. 

We  have  seen  how  the  nucleus  of  "Sinai  and  Zion"  was  ar- 
ticles in  the  Guardian  and  the  Messenger.  "Wayside  Gleanings" 
appeared  in  1875.  During  the  several  years  prior  to  its  publishing, 
some  thirty  articles  on  his  travels  in  Europe  were  presented  from 
month  to  month  and  then  entered  into  the  book. 

Several  of  the  years  of  his  editorship  he  featured  by  courses 
of  articles  in  successive  issues.  In  1870,  he  presented  "Sundays 
Abroad."  In  1872,  he  wrote  up  the  "Founders  and  Deceased 
Friends  of  the  Guardian."  He  was  always  on  the  lookout  to 
honor  thus  men  who  did  things  for  the  Church.  In  1874,  the 
fascinating  and  thrilling  "Reminiscences  of  the  Civil  War  "were 
issued,  during  the  Centennial  year,  articles  bearing  on  the 
Revolutionary  history  of  the  country,  in  1877,  "Washington- 
iana,"  and  in  the  last  year  of  his  editorship,  "German  Hymn 
Writers. " 

The  Guardian  rendered  a  valuable  service  to  the  Church  in 
that  out  of  it  grew  some  of  the  best  books  for  the  people.  Dr. 
Harbaugh's  beautiful  book  on  "The  Birds  of  the  Bible"  was 
originally  a  course  of  articles  in  the  early  years  of  the  Guardian. 
Of  Dr.  Dubbs'  "Home  Ballads  and  Metrical  Versions,"  "the 
greater  number  were  written  for  the  Guardian."  His  "Historical 
Manual  of  the  Reformed  Church"  and  other  histories  grew  out  of 
studies  originally  begun  in  behalf  of  this  periodical. 

Dr.  Bausman's  four  English  books  had  this  source.  "Way- 
side Gleanings"  was  **  affectionately  dedicated  to  the  members 
of  St.  Paul's  Memorial  Reformed  Church."  Several  thousand 
copies  were  sold.  Though  it  records  facts  and  impressions  more 
than  a  half  century  in  the  past,  it  is  still  a  valuable  handbook  of 
travel.     Views  of  church  and  state  there  given  have  in  many 


262  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

cases,  by  subsequent  events,  been  proven  correct.  A  sentence 
in  the  preface  of  the  book  referring  to  the  worth  of  the  volume 
may  be  reconstructed  to  read  thus:  ''The  wine  is  of  good  quahty 
and  has  improved  with  age." 

"Bible  Characters"  appeared  in  1893.  Its  twenty-four  chap- 
ters were  edited  and  in  some  cases  renamed  from  Guardian  ar- 
ticles. Dr.  T.  G.  Apple  reviewed  it  with  the  warmest  words  of 
appreciation  as  coming  "from  the  hand  of  a  master  workman. 
There  is  no  cant  or  claptrap  in  the  book,  no  artij&cial  appliances 
to  please  vitiated  tastes,  yet  it  is  original  and  fresh  from 
beginning  to  end." 

As  one  scans  the  pages  of  the  Guardian,  he  wishes  that  "Bible 
Characters"  might  have  been  followed  by  another  book  treat- 
ing of  characters  outside  of  the  Bible.  Dr.  Bausman  was  always 
masterful  and  interesting  in  presenting  the  lives  and  activities 
of  men.     Biography  was  his  favorite  method  of  studying  history. 

The  little  volume  "Precept  and  Practice"  came  in  1901.  The 
twenty-three  chapters  taken  from  the  Guardian  were  likewise 
edited.  We  know  of  no  better  book  for  young  people  and 
church  members. 

Dr.  George  W.  Richards  wrote  the  Introduction  to  this  book 
and  says  of  these  essays  what  may  be  applied  to  many  more  ar- 
ticles from  the  pen  of  Dr.  Bausman: 

They  were  written  for  a  past  generation,  with  no  thought  of 
a  future  collection  in  book  form.  They  were  clear,  direct  and 
popular  then.  After  having  read  the  manuscript  and  revived 
the  impressions  made  upon  me  as  a  boy,  I  am  convinced  that  age 
has  not  diminished  their  vigor.  Their  "natural  force  has  not 
abated."  They  read  as  if  they  came  red-hot  from  the  author's 
brain,  and  were  spoken  to  the  generation  directly  before  him. 
It  is  another  proof  that  philosophies  may  change,  theologies  may 
wax  old,  but  the  practical  principles  of  Christianity  and  morality 
are  the  same  yesterday,  to-day  and  forever. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

Editor  of  the  Hausfreund — 1867-1903 

THE  most  unique  of  all  the  many  beneficent  undertakings 
of  Dr.  Bausman  was  his  founding,  editing  and  publishing 
of  ^^ Der  Reformirte  Hausfreund."  A  good  many  important 
things  in  the  religious  life  of  the  Church  would  never  have  hap- 
pened had  there  been  no  Dr.  Bausman.  Certain  churches 
would  never  have  been  built.  St.  Paul's,  Reading,  in  all  like- 
Uhood  would  never  even  have  been  born.  Bethany  Orphans' 
Home  would  have  been  a  very  different  institution  had  he  not 
been  for  so  many  years  at  the  helm.  Yet  orphans  would  have 
been  cared  for  and  the  members  in  St.  Paul's  and  other  churches 
he  founded  would,  in  part  at  least,  have  been  shepherded  some- 
where; but  we  may  confidently  assert,  that  had  Dr.  Bausman 
not  undertaken  the  publication  of  this  little  German  paper  for 
the  Reformed  Church  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania,  this  important 
work  would  never  have  been  done  at  all. 

The  Pennsylvania  Germans  have  often  been  spoken  of  as 
"the  sleeping  giant."  Their  stable  quahties,  religious  bent, 
mental  and  moral  capacity  and  wealth  were  resources  unde- 
veloped a  half  century  ago.  Dr.  Bausman's  soul  burned  with- 
in him  to  attempt  the  gigantic  task  of  awakening  this  giant. 
Here  was  a  great,  fallow  field  which  became  responsive  to  the 
judicious  cultivation  effected  by  his  paper.  The  circulation  of 
the  periodical,  save  during  the  last  few  years  of  its  entire  ex- 
istence of  thirty-seven  years,  ranged  between  2,000  and  3,000 
subscribers,  which  means  that  it  was  read  on  an  average  by 
over  10,000  people,  very  few  of  whom  would  have  read  any  other 
religious  paper.  The  immense  good  done  by  this  enterprise  can 
easily  be  reahzed  and  it  showed  itself  at  once  after  the  paper  was 
started  by  an  increased  inflow  of  benevolent  moneys  into  the 
treasuries  of  the  Church,  which  has  continued  enlarging  through 

263 


264  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

these  years.  "The  sleeping  giant"  is  not  yet  fully  awake  in 
all  his  members,  but  the  immense  progress  of  the  Reformed 
Church  during  the  past  quarter  of  a  century,  particularly  along 
the  line  of  benevolent  giving,  which  is  a  good  index  of  religious 
vitality,  are  due  in  no  small  measure  to  Dr.  Bausman's  Haus- 
freund.  And  the  beauty  and  glory  of  his  work  upon  the  paper 
was  that  it  was  purely  and  simply  a  labor  of  love. 

We  are  fortunate  in  having  two  really  wonderful  letters  in 
which  Mr.  Bausman  poured  out  the  passion  of  his  soul  touching 
this  project  in  behalf  of  his  own  people.  The  Rev.  Eli  Keller 
was  then  pastor  in  Northern  Ohio.  A  few  years  later  he  came 
to  Eastern  Pennsylvania,  following  the  suggestion  of  Dr.  Baus- 
man, and  was  a  loyal  contributor  to  the  Hausfreund  throughout 
its  entire  career. 

These  letters  give  the  inside  history  of  this  movement  for  a 
German  paper  and  Bausman's  part  in  it.  We  get  a  glimpse  of 
his  heart  here  and  are  reminded  of  the  press  of  duties  upon  him 
when  he  shouldered  this  additional  burden.  We  must  recall, 
too,  that  he  became  editor  of  the  Guardian  at  the  same  time. 

Reading,  October  26,  1866. 
Dear  Brother  Keller: 

Is  EH  also  among  the  poets?  Do  you  know  that  you  have 
written  a  magnificent  poem?  It  has  all  the  tenderness  and  unique 
touches  of  nature  of  the  Pennsylvania  German  character.  Go 
on,  dear  brother,  and  prophesy  whenever  the  spirit  moves  you. 
Yours  is  a  genuine  muse. 

In  the  name  of  the  Lord,  we,  that  is  I,  intend  to  start  a  paper 
for  the  Pennsylvania  Germans  of  this  country,  with  the  permis- 
sion of  Synod.  I  am  not  fit  for  it,  but  that  does  not  matter. 
By  the  grace  of  God,  I  will  do  it  anyhow.  If  I  do  not,  I  fear  the 
brethren  and  Classes,  and  Synod  will  starve  the  thousands  of  our 
simple-hearted,  but  docile,  unsuspecting  people  for  five  or  ten 
years  longer,  with  sapless  sympathy  and  resolutions  that  mean 
nothing.  The  paper  is  not  to  interfere  with  or  be  a  rival  to  the 
Kirchenzeitung  or  the  Evangelist.  You  know,  as  well  as  I  do,  that 
these  excellent  papers  cannot  reach  and  be  read  by  a  large  part 
of  our  Pennsylvania  Germans.  The  former  has  not  500  sub- 
scribers in  all  Eastern  Pennsylvania.  If  these  papers  are  made  to 
suit  these,  they  will  not  be  adapted  for  the  large  class  of  foreign 
German  readers.  We  owe  it  to  this  large  element  in  our  Church 
to  give  them  a  paper  that  they  will  read.     They  ought  to  have 


EDITOR    OF   THE   HAUSFREUND  265 

had  one  fifty  years  ago.  This  paper  is  to  be  issued  twice  a  month. 
If  the  circulation  warrants  it,  every  two  weeks,  at  $1.00  a  year — 
always  in  advance.  It  shall  be  a  Christian  gentleman,  being 
reviled,  it  shall  not  revile  in  turn,  and  absolutely  keep  out  of  all 
controversies  and  quarrels.  It  shall  contain  departments:  De- 
votional, On  Missions,  Aus  den  Gemeinden,*  Sketches  of  Classical 
and  Synodical  Proceedings,  Sketches  of  the  Lives  of  the  Pioneer 
and  Deceased  Ministers  of  our  Church,  Historical  Sketches  of 
the  Older  Congregations,  Church  News,  etc.,  etc.  I  have  a  pro- 
spect of  circulating  it  pretty  extensively  among  the  independent 
congregations  of  this  and  other  counties.  Don't  you  believe  that 
such  a  paper  is  needed?  You  may  well  suppose  that  I  feel  its 
necessity  or  I  would  not  undertake  such  an  enterprise.  My  heart 
is  stirred  within  me,  when  I  think  of  the  30,000  or  40,000  of 
Pennsylvania  Germans  in  this  State,  many  having  preaching 
once  in  four  weeks,  some  with  hireling  pastors.  What  could  not 
such  a  people  accomplish  if  properly  informed  and  trained! 
What  am  I,  that  I  should  undertake  such  a  project!  From  all 
quarters  brethren  hail  me  with  a  Godspeed.  Harbaugh  says, 
"It  is  the  most  solemn  and  important  enterprise,  that  has  been 
started  in  our  Church  for  many  years."  Do  you  believe  it?  I 
have  a  very  large  congregation,  as  you  know.  I  have  neither  time 
nor  ability  to  keep  this  thing  going  alone.  A  number  of  brethren 
offer  as  much  as  I  want  for  it;  but  I  want  contributors  from  the 
West,  too.  I  want  you.  In  the  name  of  the  Lord,  I  ask  you  to 
help  me  in  this  sacred  work.  By  birth  and  education,  you  are 
qualified  to  write  for  this  paper  as  few  are.  You  are  a  good,  earn- 
est, hard-working  brother,  and  know  me,  and  sympathize  with 
my  efforts  and  intention.  I  have  faith  in  God,  in  you,  and  in 
this  good  cause — so  strong  a  faith,  that  I  feel  clearly  certain,  be- 
fore you  reply  to  this  letter,  that  you  are  going  to  help  me.  What 
do  I  want?  Short  articles  aus  dem  kirchlichen  Leben  des  West- 
ens.f  Weave  as  many  incidents,  Thatsachen,  in  the  articles  as 
possible. 

My  name  will  not  appear  as  editor  of  the  paper.  I  am  not  such 
in  reality,  yet  I  undertake  the  whole  thing,  and  am  responsible 
financially  and  editorially,  but  others  help  me  to  furnish  the  matter. 
Of  course,  so  far  as  it  has  an  editor,  I  am  he,  but  would  rather  be 
called  by  another  name.  The  first  number  will  be  issued  about  a 
week  before  Christmas — dating  from  January  1,  1867. 

Yours,  etc., 

B.  Bausman. 

P.  S. — Could  you  not  furnish  me  with  the  names  of  the  pastors 

*From  Congregations'. 

t  About  the  church  life  of  the  West. 


266  THE   LIFE   OF  BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

in  the  West,  who  have  any  considerable  number  of  Pennsylvania 
German  members?  For  the  foreign  Germans,  the  other  papers 
are  better  suited. 

Reading,  November  10,  1866. 
Dear  Brother  Keller: 

I  received  your  kind  letter  to-day,  and  read  it  with  moist  eyes. 
Although  I  have  not  found  a  helpmeet  as  you  have — whether 
from  my  own  fault,  or  providential  decree,  I  will  not  say — I  have 
a  good  deal  of  the  woman  in  my  composition.  I  am  easily  touched 
and  can  weep  like  a  woman,  if  some  kind  soul  takes  me  by  the 
hand  in  my  serious  efforts  to  do  good.  "Six  children!" — blessed 
is  the  man  that  hath  his  quiver  full  of  them.  God  gives  "to 
each  his  necessary  share. "  I  love  children  with  an  ardor  amount- 
ing almost  to  a  passion.  I  find  no  sweeter  recreation  than  to 
roll  about  on  the  grass  or  floor  with  them,  have  them  climb  up 
my  tall  back,  explaining  to  them  pictures,  being  asked  for  a  kiss 
in  the  Sunday-school  or  street,  stealing  the  sound  of  their  evening 
prayers  through  some  partition,  watching  their  innocent,  loving 
mirthfulness,  when  they  don't  know  I  am  looking  at  them — and 
yet  I  have  none! 

But  this  is  not  what  I  had  intended  to  write  about.  I  agree 
with  you,  respecting  the  Kirchenzeitung  and  the  Evangelist,  knew 
that  you  wrote  for  the  latter,  but  did  not  know  your  signature. 

Three  years  ago  I  received  a  call  from  my  present  congrega- 
tion. I  then  had  a  pleasant  charge  in  Chambersburg.  The 
whole  congregation  in  a  paper  of  all  the  members  and  others 
of  influence  remonstrated  against  my  going.  The  Classis  was 
called  together,  where  ministers  and  laymen  plead  their  cause, 
while  many  sat  by  weeping,  and  I  wept  with  them.  During  the 
previous  year,  my  health  had  been  seriously  failing,  and  it  was 
publicly  said — "He  will  die  in  a  short  time  if  he  goes,  with  such  a 
congregation."  But  I  thought  of  the  vast  field  in  East  Pennsyl- 
vania— material  unequaled  by  any  Church  in  this  country — 
neglected,  ridiculed,  slandered.  I  told  the  Classis,  with  choked 
utterance,  I  must  go,  and  if  I  felt  certain  it  would  kill  me  in  a 
short  time.  They  said.  Go,  and  God  be  with  you.  I  went  and  a 
few  months  brought  me,  humanly  speaking,  to  the  verge  of  the 
grave, — the  Dr.  gave  me  this  to  understand. 

O  how  I  wished  like  Hezekiah,  for  a  few  years  more  to  glorify 
God,  with  a  more  zealous  service.  I  resolved  if  he  would  spare 
me,  I  would  give  myself  more  wholly  to  Him  than  I  ever  had 
before.  He  spared  me  and  has  blessed  me  with  vigor  of  body 
and  mind,  such  as  I  have  not  enjoyed  since  I  entered  the  ministry, 
and  this  in  spite  of  considerable  labor.  You  have  your  hands  full. 
Mine  are  not  full,  I  confess.     I  have  over  1,000  communicant 


EDITOR   OF   THE   HAUSFBEUND  267 

members — over  2,000  souls  in  all  including  unconfirmed  members. 
A  Sunday-school  of  600  children — and  three  mission  Sunday- 
schools  numbering  in  all  about  400  children — one  of  them  250. 
Of  course,  these  are  manned  by  my  members,  but  under  my  eye, 
I  have  organized  a  missionary  society  in  my  congregation  within 
the  year,  on  the  systematic  plan,  which  raises  over  S1,000  a  year. 
I  have  been  general  agent  for  the  printing  establishment,  engi- 
neering the  thing,  with  assistants,  raising  during  the  year  about 
$15,000.  Am  President  of  Board  of  Managers  of  Orphans' 
Home,  which  requires  me  to  run  to  the  city  often.  Have  been 
an  editorial  contributor  of  Messenger,  member  of  College  Board, 
Board  of  Visitors,  President  of  Trustees  of  Synod,  and  yet  I  feel 
that  I  might  do  a  good  deal  more.  Study,  work,  preaching, 
visiting  the  sick — all  my  duties  are  a  source  of  indescribable 
pleasure  to  me,  for  which  I  thank  God  every  day. 

I  have  felt  the  want  of  this  German  paper  for  several  years — 
advocated  it  before  our  Classis,  the  East  Pennsylvania  Classis  and 
at  the  Synod  of  Lewisburg.  The  foreign  brethren  tried  to 
laugh  us  out  of  countenance,  charged  us  indirectly  with  foment- 
ing sectional  prejudices  between  foreign  and  American  Germans. 
At  the  Synod  of  Lewisburg,  at  my  suggestion  the  enterprise  was 
committed  into  the  hands  of  Lebanon,  East  Pennsylvania  and 
Goshenhoppen  Classes,  in  connection  with  a  Committee  of  Synod. 
These  Classes  bandied  the  thing  about  till  they  threatened  to 
kill  it.  Then  I  proposed  to  take  charge  of  it  myself,  to  which 
Synod's  Committee  at  once  assented,  the  latter  being  authorized 
by  the  Synod  of  York  to  go  forward  as  they  saw  proper. 

Now  it  may  seem  madness  in  me  to  undertake  such  an  ad- 
ditional amount  of  work.  But  "I  am  not  mad,  most  noble 
Festus."  My  whole  soul  is  wrapped  up  in  it.  Certainly  the 
project  is  not  more  important  than  the  ministry;  but  in  the  pub- 
lication line  equal  to  any,  superior  in  importance  to  three-fourths 
of  our  other  projects. 

As  to  what  the  paper  is  to  be,  I  fully  agree  with  you.  I  can- 
not tell  you  how  much  some  of  us  had  to  work  to  keep  it  out  of 
Philadelphia.  It  was  insisted  that  it  should  be  published  there. 
I  saw  very  well  that  this  would  put  a  foreign  German  at  the 
gate  and  that  would  inevitably  kill  it.  One  comfort  I  feel  in 
having  my  hand  on  the  helm,  is  the  thought  that  I  can  keep  it 
free  from  all  the  heavy  ballast  of  a  foreign  Gelehrsamkeit.*  A 
number  of  the  brethren  have  promised  to  write,  but  with  the 
expressed  understanding  that  I  am  absolutely  to  be  the  judge 
what  is  to  go  in.  Yes — it  shall  be  a  Pennsylvania  German  Christ- 
ian gentleman,  by  the  grace  of  God.     It  shall  teach  our  people 

*  Scholarship. 


268  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

the  grace  of  charity,  prayer  and  Christian  activity,  not  by  hold- 
ing up  to  them  Yankee  or  British  specimens,  but  by  telHng  them 
what  people  of  their  own  tribe  and  tongue  have  done  and  are 
doing,  I  want  it  to  dip  its  life  out  of  the  hearts  and  homes  of 
our  people.  They  have  a  piety,  poetry,  customs,  habits,  language 
and  life  peculiarly  their  own.  Just  so  far  as  these  will  inspire 
the  paper,  will  it  find  Anklang. 

I  think  I  have  some  idea  what  it  ought  to  be,  but  "Who  is 
sufficient  for  these  things!"  I  will  write  sketches,  Reise  Erzah- 
lungen  aus  dem  Volksleben  Deutschlands,*  especially  of  Re- 
formed countries.  As  a  rule,  the  articles  ought  to  be  short,  if 
possible  not  over  a  half  column  in  length,  short  articles,  short 
sentences,  short  words.  Poems  on  the  subjects  you  speak  of 
will  be  capital.  I  showed  the  editor  of  the  Adler  yours  in  the 
Guardian.  He  was  delighted  with  it  and  will  publish  it.  An 
occasional  article  on  the  religious  condition  and  wants  of  Penn- 
sylvania Germans  in  the  West  will  help  to  cultivate  missionary 
sympathy  and  zeal.  Most  of  them  have  relatives  in  the  East. 
The  paper  may  become  a  sort  of  an  organ  of  religious  intelligence 
between  our  Germans,  East  and  West.  As  a  rule,  I  try  to  per- 
suade brethren  to  remain  West,  but  men  of  your  stamp  could  be 
of  immense  usefulness  in  East  Pennsylvania,  while  your  places 
West  could  be  filled  just  as  well  by  others.  But  few  of  our 
brethren  understand  our  strength  here,  if  husbanded.  In  some 
counties,  almost  half  the  population  is  ours — mostly  men  of 
wealth,  many  of  whose  sons  will  become  the  Astors  of  fifty  years 
hence  in  New  York  and  Philadelphia.  If  you  can  conscientiously 
come  East  I  can  get  you  a  place  in  a  short  time. 

Send  me  a  poem  for  the  first  number  if  possible  by  the  22nd  of 
this  month. 

God  bless  you. 

Yours,  etc. 

Bausman. 

The  following  to  the  Rev.  Joseph  Henry  Dubbs  is  doubtless  one 
of  many  similar  letters  sent  out  to  challenge  competent  helpers 
to  the  task: 

Reading,  Nov.  2,  1866. 
Dear  Brother  Dubbs: 

The  Synod  has  authorized  its  committee  to  go  forward  in 
publishing  a  suitable  paper  for  the  Pennsylvania  Germans. 
They  ask  me  to  "run"  the  affair.  I  fear,  unless  I  will  do  it,  the 
poor  thing  will  not  see  daylight  for  years  to  come.     At  least,  so 

*  Travel  narratives  about  the  folk-life  of  Germany. 


EDITOR   OF   THE   HAUSFREUND  269 

it  seems  now.  I  intend  to  risk  it.  Will  issue  the  first  number 
a  week  before  Christmas,  which  is  to  date  from  January  1.  After 
that  it  will  be  issued  every  two  weeks.  Of  course,  the  enterprise 
will  have  to  fail,  unless  a  number  of  brethren,  who  feel  the  want 
of  it  and  have  the  ability  to  write  for  it,  will  assist  me. 

There  are  few  in  our  Church  that  are  so  well  qualified  to  fur- 
nish material  for  this  paper  as  you.  Your  birth,  education  and 
training  have  imbued  you  with  the  spirit  that  ought  to  pervade 
its  columns.  You  have  valuable  material  on  hand,  admirably 
adapted  for  the  readers  of  this  paper.  You  are  able  to  weave  it 
together  in  a  form  and  style  that  will  be  just  the  thing  we  need. 
Now,  my  dear  Brother,  will  you  not  do  me  and  our  dear  Reformed 
Church  the  .favor  of  writing  for  this  paper.  Anything  aus  dem 
Leben  of  our  Pennsylvania  German  members  will  be  acceptable. 
I  don't  want  to  beat  the  air.  The  paper  shall  breathe  the  breath 
of  this  Leben,  or  none  at  all.  Harbaugh  promises  to  write  for 
it.  If  possible  send  me  some  copy  by  the  20th  of  this  month. 
If  you  cannot  that  soon,  by  the  5th  of  December.  Come,  let 
us  try  and  get  up  something  educating  and  pleasing  for  our 
sturdy,  warm-hearted  Pennsylvania  Germans. 

Yours,  etc. 

B.  Bausman. 

The  Committee  appointed  at  the  Synod  of  Lewisburg  in  1865 
and  who  reported  to  the  Synod  of  York,  October,  1866,  were 
the  Revs.  W.  A.  Helfrich,  C.  H.  Leinbach  and  P.  S.  Fisher,  re- 
presenting the  East  Pennsylvania,  Lebanon  and  Goshenhoppen 
Classes.  In  their  report,  Bausman's  name  was  not  mentioned. 
They  put  it  thus: 

We  have  received  a  reliable  proposition  from  a  competent 
person  who  is  willing  to  undertake  the  publication  and  editing 
of  the  paper  at  his  own  risk  on  condition  that  the  paper  be  lo- 
cated in  Reading. 

Contrary  to  the  wish  expressed  in  the  letter  to  Keller,  Baus- 
man's name  appears  as  editor  and  publisher  on  the  first  and  every 
other  issue.     The  Committee  said  further  in  their  report: 

Our  Pennsylvania  Germans  are  not  heartless,  neither  are  they 
ignorant  of  the  principles  of  Christianity;  but  they  are  greatly 
ignorant  as  to  everything  that  transpires  in  the  Church  beyond 
their  own  congregations.  From  this  ignorance  of  the  Church 
arises  the  mistrust  and  inactivity  of  our  members.  They  con- 
tribute unwillingly  because  they  do  not  know  for  what  they  con- 


270  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

tribute.  Let  this  people  be  enlightened  by  a  paper  adapted  to 
their  wants,  not  by  one  furnishing  mere  literary  articles,  by  one 
which  has  a  specific  object  in  view,  and  not  by  one  filled  out 
■with  indiscriminate  reading  matter,  merely  for  the  sake  of  being 
full,  and  their  influence  will  soon  be  felt  in  the  affairs  of 
the  Church, 

It  is  not  because,  as  some  brethren  altogether  misapprehend 
our  enterprise,  "we,  here,  in  East  Pennsylvania,  desire  only  a 
small  and  cheap  paper."  No!  but  because  those  papers,  as  is 
plainly  evinced  by  the  facts  already  indicated,  do  not  know  what 
kind  of  aliment  this  portion  of  the  Church  needs  or  do  not  re- 
gard it  worth  the  effort  properly  to  provide  for  it. 

The  little  sheet  was  immediately  well  received.  Harbaugh 
wrote  editorially  of  the  first  issue  in  the  Messenger: 

The  style  and  substance  of  the  articles  are  both  of  a  character 
to  suit  precisely  the  purposes  which  the  publication  has  in  view; 
and  one  cannot  read  its  contents  without  thanking  God,  that- 
such  a  power  as  this  paper  is  certain  to  exert,  is  about  to  enter 
upon  its  great  mission  in  this  part  of  our  Church.  The  writers 
know  the  German  heart  and  speak  to  the  point.  This  paper 
will  do  incalculable  good,  as  one  year's  experience  will  certainly 
show. 

After  four  or  five  numbers  of  the  paper  had  been  published 
Bausman  wrote  to  Keller: 

Only  don't  forsake  me.  Helfrich  writes,  "Wer  in  der  Welt 
ist  der  'Freund  unter  den  Buckeyes'?"*  Subjects  like  those  in 
your  last  are  apt,  only  don't  let  us  beat  the  air.  Let  us  dip  our 
themes  out  of  the  people  for  whom  we  write:  their  faults,  vir- 
tues, customs,  peculiar  trials  and  sorrows  and  scores  of  other 
subjects  will  afford  a  chance  den  Nagel  auf  den  Kopf  zu  treffen.f 
You  would  be  surprised  to  know  how  universally  the  readers  are 
pleased  with  the  paper.  All  the  subscribers,  even  those  coming 
in  now,  want  it  from  number  L  I  don't  remember  how  many 
have  told  me  that  their  people  read  it  through.  And  some  say 
they  read  it  two  and  three  times.  This  must  be  because  it 
breathes  their  own  life  and  spirit.  It  finds  Anklang.  If  we  can 
make  it  what  it  ought  to  be,  it  will  do  an  immense  work  among 
our  people,  and  by  God's  blessing  awaken  new  life  and  interest 
Nicht  wahr?J 

*  "  Who  in  the  world  is  the  'Friend  among  the  Buckeyes '?  " 
t  To  hit  the  nail  on  the  head. 
J  Not  so? 


EDITOR   OF   THE    HAUSFREUND  271 

A  few  months  later  he  told  Keller  there  were  2,000  subscribers 
and  when  the  Committee  reported  to  the  next  Synod  there  were 
2,400.     It  said  further: 

The  paper,  in  the  first  year  of  its  publication  has  covered  ex- 
penses. It  is  true,  the  editor  in  this  matter  makes  an  offering 
to  the  Church  which  is  generously  reckoned  at  SI, 000.  He  is, 
however,  God  be  praised,  able  and  willing  to  make  the  offering. 
He  took  charge  of  the  paper  after  much  persuasion,  notwith- 
standing his  many  other  labors  for  the  Church.  He  also  signifies 
his  willingness  to  edit  the  paper  in  the  future.  Without  being 
subjected  to  any  outlay,  the  Reverend  Synod  has  herewith  se- 
cured an  organ  through  which  many  thousands  of  the  members 
of  the  Church  are  reached,  who  could  not  have  been  reached 
without  it. 

The  Hausfreund  is  yet  to  be  brought  fully  into  existence. 
The  whole  of  the  plan  laid  out  for  it  has  not  yet  been  taken  up. 
It  lays  claim  to  only  one  thing,  namely,  its  purpose  to  promote  the 
welfare  of  the  Pennsylvania  German  portion  of  our  Church.  It, 
therefore,  very  politely  declines  all  criticism  which  does  not  bear 
on  this  point. 

By  the  end  of  the  second  year  the  subscription  list  had  slightly 
shrunk.  "The  receipts  are  not  sufficient  fully  to  cover  ex- 
penses, so  that  the  existence  of  the  paper  depends,  in  part  at 
least,  upon  its  active  and  worthy  editor." 

The  Committee  arranged  for  an  assistant  editor  and  made 
an  effort  to  relieve  Mr.  Bausman.  By  the  close  of  the  third 
year,  they  reported  "the  subscription  list  increased  to  about 
3,000."  And  the  good  effect  of  the  paper  on  the  practical  ac- 
tivity of  the  Church  was  already  manifest,  as  "the  several 
Boards  of  the  Church  have  had  opportunity  to  observe,  if  they 
compared  their  present  receipts  from  this  part  of  the  Church 
with  those  of  former  years." 

By  the  end  of  the  fourth  year  the  experimental  stage  was 
past  and  the  Committee  could  report: 

We  said  last  year,  that  its  continuance  was  tolerably  certain. 
This  has  now  become  a  fixed  fact,  so  far  as  relates  to  its  finances. 
The  liabilities  from  previous  years  have  been  cancelled,  and  all 
current  expenses  are  paid  to  date.  We  can  assure  the  Synod, 
that  there  will  be  next  year  a  small  excess  of  income,  in  case 
existing  circumstances  continue. 


272  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

These  first  four  years  of  the  Hausfreund  were  most  trying  ones 
to  Mr.  Bausman.  When  the  enterprise  was  projected  in  1866, 
he  had  just  begun  the  definite  agitation  for  the  founding  of  St. 
Paul's  Church  and  did  not  know  what  a  storm  he  would  have 
to  pass  through.  The  failure  of  the  paper  to  meet  expenses  its 
second  year  annoyed  and  discouraged  him. 

He  wrote  Dr.  W.  A.  Helfrich,  chairman  of  Synod's  Hausfreund 
Committee,  one  of  the  leading  spirits  in  the  movement  and  a 
great  helper,  in  May,  1868: 

I  shall  positively  not  consent  to  bear  the  burdens  of  the  paper 
longer  than  the  end  of  the  year,  unless  the  congregations  will 
take  it  in  hand  more  than  they  have.  You  can  see  from  my  re- 
ceipts that  my  prospects  to  get  means  for  the  payment  of  my 
bills  are  anything  but  encouraging. 

A  month  later  he  complained: 

The  whole  thing  rests  on  me.  I  have  not  nearly  enough  money 
to  pay  the  bill  for  May  and  the  June  bill  will  soon  be  due.  I 
know  you  are  building  a  house  and  therefore  you  cannot  come; 
but  that  excuse  does  not  relieve  me.  I  reminded  you  some  weeks 
ago  about  the  unpaid  subscriptions  in  your  and  Brother  Fogel's 
charge.  Can  you  not  relieve  me  by  urging  your  people  from  the 
pulpit,  to  pay  their  paper. 

Do  please  send  me  money  soon. 

Response  came  shortly  and  Bausman  replied  to  Helfrich: 
"Gross  Dank!    Warm's  numma  en  wenig  mehr  war."* 

Another  annoyance  was  the  impression  which  got  abroad  that 
the  paper  was  a  "private  enterprise  in  the  interest  of  those  by 
whom  it  is  published,"  an  error  of  which  Synod  had  to  urge 
pastors  to  disabuse  the  minds  of  the  people.  As  Bausman  put 
it  in  a  letter  to  Helfrich:  "Some  treat  it  as  if  it  were  a  money- 
making  scheme  of  my  o\\ai  and  therefore,  they  are  not  a  going  to 
be  such  stupid  fellows  as  to  fill  my  pockets." 

Another  phase  of  the  financial  bother  he  spoke  of  thus  in  a 
note  to  Helfrich: 

I  felt  discouraged  to  hear  after  you  left  here  on  your  late  visit 
that  Brother demands  $300  for  packing  the  Hausfreund — 

*  Many  thanks!  If  only  it  were  a  little  more. 


EDITOR   OF   THE    HAUSFREUND  273 

almost  $100  more  than  we  paid  before.  He  now  gets  50  cents 
for  each  new  subscription,  but  in  the  present  state  of  our  finances, 
I  really  think  it  is  unkind  to  burden  me  with  such  additional 
expenses.  Is  it  then  expected  that  I  not  only  do  my  work  for 
nothing  and  bear  the  financial  risk,  but  that  other  brethren  will 
demand  more  for  their  work  than  strangers  will  do  it  for?  Is 
it  a  wonder  that  I  become  disheartened  when  a  brother  tries  to 
make  money  out  of  the  paper — and  I,  poor  fool!  pay  it  out  of 

my  own  pocket.     Bro.  earns  these  $200  during  his  leisure 

time,  when  otherwise  he  would  not  earn  a  cent.  I  don't  want 
you  to  say  that  I  complain  about  it,  but  I  wish  to  have  a  distinct 
understanding  about  the  matter  so  that  there  be  no  difficulty 
afterwards. 

Mr.  Bausman  did  not  receive,  in  conducting  the  paper,  the 
assistance  he  anticipated  and  felt  he  had  a  right  to  expect,  hence 
the  following  extracts  from  letters  to  Dr.  Helfrich,  chairman  of 
the  Synodical  Committee,  the  closing  months  of  1870: 

I  dislike  to  worry  you  brethren  again,  but  really  cannot  help 
it.  I  must  again  positively  insist  on  being  relieved  of  the  Haus- 
freund.  I  cannot  bear  its  burdens  along  with  my  other  duties. 
If  I  could  resign  my  congregation  I  could  do  it;  but  that  is  out  of 
the  question  just  now.  The  paper  now  easily  pays  expenses 
and  something  over,  so  that  I  feel  the  more  easy  in  withdrawing 
from  it.  I  hardly  know  what  plan  had  best  be  pursued.  If 
Weiser  would  undertake  it,  he  might  have  it  printed  by  the 
Pennshurg  Bauernfreund.  I  would  like  in  one  sense,  if  Miller 
could  keep  on  printing  it.  He  is  a  good  fellow  and  does  all  for 
it  he  can.  Either  you  can  get  Weiser  for  it,  or  let  Miller  print 
it  as  heretofore  and  select  and  prepare  the  church  news  with  a 
Committee  of  three  or  more,  as  an  editorial  corps,  or  hand  it  over 
to  Fisher  and  Co.  to  be  blended  with  the  K.  zeitung,  or  published 
in  its  present  form.  Perhaps  the  Committee  can  think  of  a  more 
feasible  plan.  I  am  sorry  I  am  forced  to  withdraw.  The  paper 
seems  like  a  sweet  child  of  mine  from  whom  it  gives  me  great 
pain  to  part.  But  this  time  the  step  must  be  taken.  Hoping 
that  the  Lord  will  give  us  a  plan  by  which  the  paper  may  con- 
tinue to  be  useful,  I  am, 

Yours  truly, 

B.  Bausman. 

Reading,  Dec.  19,  1870. 
Dear  Brother  Helfrich: 

The  way  things  stand  now  I  see  plainly  that  I  will  have  the 
same  labor  and  care  with  the  Committee  as  before.     You  and 
18 


274  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

Weiser  will  evidently  be  the  only  ones  who  will  write  regularly — 
the  rest  now  and  then.  Miller  still  insists  on  having  my  name 
remain  as  editor.  That  cannot  be  if  I  withdraw  as  editor.  I 
find  too  that  the  legal  transfer  is  not  as  easy  as  one  might  sup- 
pose. If  the  ownership  is  vested  in  Synod's  Committee,  will  that 
Committee  foot  the  bills  if  the  paper  will  not  pay  expenses? 
That  Committee  is  the  creature  of  the  Eastern  Synod.  Might 
not  Synod  some  day  appoint  such  a  Committee,  that  would  deem 
it  their  duty  to  cut  the  paper's  throat  or  take  it  to  54  N.  6th 
Street,  Philadelphia  and  pin  it  to  the  apron  of  the  K.  zeitung. 
Versteh,*  Michel?     Am  I  correct  in  my  surmisings? 

If  there  is  no  other  way,  I  am  willing  to  carry  the  thing  for  the 
present — say  a  year  more  at  least,  on  the  following  conditions: 
Each  correspondent,  who  is  regular  will  get  his  paper  gratis, 
and  two  leading  exchanges,  costing  not  more  than  $6.  I  get 
$50  for  past  services,  and  if  the  money  is  here,  $200  annually 
for  the  future.  If  it  is  not  here — dann  ex  nihilo,  etc.f  Either 
this  or  the  Committee.  "Entweder  oder. "  Nix  fiir  Ungut.  Gott 
befohlen.l 

Yours  truly, 

B.  Bausman. 

The  question  of  uniting  the  Hausfreund  and  the  Kirchenzeit- 
ung  arose  very  shortly  after  the  founding  of  the  former.  The 
circulation  of  the  latter  was  somewhat  diminished  by  the  inroads 
of  the  former  in  Eastern  Pennsylvania.  The  shortage  in  re- 
ceipts, the  second  year  of  the  enterprise,  led  even  Mr.  Bausman 
to  raise  the  question,  as  we  see  in  a  letter  to  Helfrich  in  May, 
1868: 

Would  it  not  be  well  to  sound  your  Classis,  at  its  coming  meet- 
ing, about  the  future  of  the  Hausfreund,  whether  the  brethren 
feel  disposed  to  unite  it  with  the  Kirchenzeitung,  or  continue  it 
on  its  present  plan.  Of  course,  I  don't  think  it  would  be  wise 
to  unite  it  with  the  Kirchenzeitung.  It  would  lose  the  very 
quality  which  adapts  it  for  usefulness  among  our  people.  But 
a  few  of  us  can  not  carry  its  whole  burden.  Nor  can  we  keep 
it  going  with  the  limited  support  it  has  thus  far  received.  If 
the  brethren  think  that  our  Pennsylvania  Germans  do  not  need 
such  a  paper,  or  that  it  is  not  of  the  right  kind,  let  them  say  so. 

*  Understand? 

t  Then  out  of  nothing,  etc. 

j"  Either  or."     No  offense.     Adieu. 


EDITOR   OF   THE   HAUSFREUND  275 

To  all  such  doubts  as  might  arise  in  Bausman's  mind,  Hel- 
frich  would  reply:  "Certainly  the  Hausfreund  is  satisfactory, 
not  a  single  copy  remains  in  the  Post  Office.  People  all  hunger 
for  it.     We  are  hitting  the  nail  on  the  head." 

Many  individuals  and  certain  Classes  thought  it  a  great  waste 
to  have  three  German  papers  when  one  should  do  and  plead  for 
"one  grand,  cheap,  large  German  paper."  The  Rev.  Eli  Keller 
urged  it  in  a  strong  article  which  appeared  in  the  Hausfreund 
August,  1871,  to  which  Bausman  rephed: 

Whilst  I  started  the  Hausfreund  as  a  private  enterprise,  and 
have  thus  far  made  myself  editorially  and  pecuniarily  responsible 
for  the  paper,  it  is  a  child  of  the  people,  who  write  for  and  read 
it.  I,  too,  believe  that  one  German  paper  instead  of  three  would 
in  many  ways  be  an  advantage.  It  would  save  money  and  men, 
whilst  it  could  be  made  a  better  paper  than  any  one  of  the  three. 
But  could  such  a  union  be  organically  and  legitimately  formed? 
Whether  the  Evangelist  or  Kirchenzeitung,  or  a  paper  combining 
the  good  qualities  of  both,  would  be  better  adapted  for  the  readers 
of  the  Hausfreund  than  itself,  I  can  not  say;  one  thing  is  certain, 
that  it  would  not  retain  one  half  of  the  readers  of  the  latter  one 
year.  The  Hausfreund  has  not  created  the  tastes  of  its  readers, 
but  it  is  trying  to  feed  them  with  food  convenient  for  them.  To 
me  personally,  it  would  be  a  great  favor  to  be  relieved  of  its 
editorial  and  other  duties.  I  have  repeatedly  determined  to 
get  rid  of  it.  But  even  if  I  should  withdraw  from  it,  the  breth- 
ren of  the  three  Classes  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania  and  not  myself 
must  decide  what  is  to  become  of  it.  It  would  be  a  pity  to  take 
a  step  which  might  leave  a  large  part  of  its  readers  without  a  re- 
ligious paper.  As  for  the  Kirchenzeitung  and  Evangelist,  I  can 
see  no  reason  why  they  should  not  be  united,  if  their  friends  can 
agree  as  to  the  editor,  location  and  general  spirit  of  the  new 
paper.  But  if  the  two  types  of  thinking,  which  they  represent, 
are  to  be  set  a  fermenting  and  fighting  in  one  and  the  same  sheet, 
they  had  better  be  kept  apart.  If  the  three  papers  were  now 
one,  think  what  a  bitter  fight  the  late  article  in  the  Evangelist 
would  call  forth!  Such  a  fight  as  I  would  not  allow  to  poison 
the  columns  of  the  Hausfreund. 

I  should  certainly  be  very  sorry  if  you  should  cease  writing 
for  the  Hausfreund.  It  is  far  easier  to  find  apt  writers  for  the 
Evangelist  than  for  the  Hausfreund,  as  you  know.  Please  help 
the  poor  Hausfreund.     You  know  how  many  of  your  personal 


276  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

friends,  East  and  West,  read  and  enjoy  your  articles  therein. 
Please  don't  forsake  me — so  en  armer  Schlucker.* 
Gott  befohlen, 

Bausman. 

Such  a  union  of  the  German  papers  was  out  of  the  question 
after  the  early  critical  years  of  the  Hausfreund  were  past,  but  the 
proposition  kept  rising  in  the  meetings  of  Synod  for  several 
years  thereafter. 

The  turning  point  in  the  history  of  the  Hausfreund  came  when 
Mr.  Daniel  Miller  took  charge  of  the  business  end  of  it.  He  was 
then  publishing  the  Repuhlikaner  von  Berks.  He  took  charge 
of  the  books,  September,  1869,  and  in  February,  1870,  he  re- 
ceived the  contract  to  publish  the  Hausfreund,  underbidding 
other  competitors  by  $400.  When  he  became  connected  with 
the  paper  the  subscription  list  as  reported  was  as  large  as  it  ever 
became;  but  the  paper  was  costing  too  much.  With  $400  less 
of  outlay,  the  debts  were  soon  paid  and  toward  the  close  of  the 
following  year  Bausman  could  write  to  Helfrich: 

When  will  the  Hausfreund  Committee  meet?  We  will  have 
from  $400  to  $500  profits,  besides  $200  for  my  salary.  I  think 
I  ought  to  have  the  privilege  to  designate  for  what  benevolent 
objects  this  money  is  to  be  used.  The  St.  John's  Mission  Chapel 
of  Reading  is  burdened  with  over  $1,600  debt.  This  mission 
congregation  although  not  three  months  old  has  125  members. 
I  promised  to  give  the  congregation  the  building  free  of  debt. 
Part  of  it  I  raise  in  my  congregation.  I  should  like  to  use  the 
Hausfreund  profits  for  it.  It  will  be  credited  publicly  for  church 
extension.  In  this  way  the  Hausfreund,  published  by  and  for 
the  Pennsylvania  German  Reformed  people,  would  help  to  build 
up  a  congregation  in  one  of  the  centres  of  this  population.  What 
will  the  Committee  say  to  it?  The  money  should  be  appropriated 
some  time  this  month,  so  as  to  include  this  feature  in  your  re- 
port to  Synod,  showing  thereby,  that  whilst  other  papers  are  a 
source  of  annual  losses,  ours  supports  itself  and  puts  $500  in 
one  year  into  the  Lord's  treasury.  This  no  paper  in  our  Church 
has  ever  done.  Hurra-a-h  for  the  Hausfreund.  Was  denkst 
vom  Keller  seiner  Proposition  die  Zeitungen  zu  vereinigen?t 

Yours  truly, 

Bausman. 

*  Such  a  poor,  miserable  fellow. 

fWhat  do  you  think  of  KeUer's  proposition  to  unite  the  papers? 


EDITOR   OF   THE   HAUSFREUND  277 

P.  S.  Enclosed  I  send  you  an  article  from  the  Adler.  Don't 
know  who  wrote  it.     Suppose  you  write  a  reply  on  this   and 

's. 

The  Hausfreund  throughout  was  a  four-page  sheet.  The 
first  year  it  was  unpretentious,  the  pages  thirteen  by  nineteen 
inches  with  four  columns  to  a  page.  The  next  two  years  it  was 
larger  with  five  columns  to  a  page.  When  Daniel  Miller  took 
charge  of  the  printing,  it  was  again  enlarged  with  six  columns 
to  the  page.  In  1879,  it  was  once  more  increased  to  the  size  it 
retained  to  the  end — eighteen  by  twenty-four  inches  with  seven 
columns  to  the  page — altogether  a  rather  formidable  space  to 
confront  a  pastor  busy  with  many  local  and  general  church 
duties!  These  columns  had  to  be  filled  every  two  weeks  with 
fresh  readable  matter  and  nearly  every  issue,  save  in  the  last 
few  years  of  the  paper's  history,  was  contributed  to  largely  by 
his  pen.  Next  in  importance  to  his  own  work  on  the  periodical 
was  his  success  in  securing  the  assistance  of  others,  due  in  large 
measure  to  his  own  self-sacrificing  devotion  to  the  enterprise. 

In  gathering  materials  for  this  biography,  we  were  favored  in 
securing  two  letters  Avritten  by  Dr.  Bausman  to  the  late  and 
lamented  Dr.  J.  H.  Dubbs.  These  our  beloved  teacher  tran- 
scribed for  us  with  his  own  hand  a  few  months  before  his  death, 
when  he  was  weak  and  ill.  The  first  letter  appears  in  the  earlier 
part  of  this  chapter.  "That,"  says  Dr.  Dubbs  in  a  personal 
note,  "shows  how  earnestly  Dr.  Bausman  worked  to  secure 
contributors  for  the  Hausfreund;  the  second,  how  he  stirred  them 
up  when  they  began  to  neglect  their  work." 

It  is  as  follows: 

Reading,  Jan.  13,  1869. 
Dear  Brother  Dubbs: 

"Why  in  the  world  does  not  Mr.  J.  H.  Dubbs  write  more  for 
the  Hausfreund?  He  is  capital  at  it.  Get  him  to  write  you  a 
Pennsylvania  German  poem  occasionally."  So  said  Beck  of 
the  Adler  yesterday.  And  so  say  I  now.  Why  don't  you  write 
any  more?  Come  on,  my  good  fellow.  Send  me  a  poem  now 
and  then — send  me  articles  such  as  you  used  to  send.  This  will 
never  do  for  you  to  back  down  in  this  way.  You  complain  of 
work.     Do  you  think  I  have  less? 

Yours  at  work, 

Bausman. 


278  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

Hints  of  his  persistent  activity  in  getting  help  come  out  in 
former  letters  quoted,  and  here  are  a  few  more  with  touches  of 
interesting  self-revelation  in  extracts  from  letters  to  the  Rev 
Eli  Keller: 

I  suspect  you  are  not  satisfied  with  the  Hausfreund.  After 
all,  not  what  is  needed?  Another  failure?  Well,  I  should  like 
to  see  it  better.  It  is  not  an  easy  task  to  get  up  such  a  paper. 
But,  after  all,  is  it  not  the  most  successful  effort  that  has  been 
anywhere  made?  We  have  2,000  subscribers.  The  great  mass 
of  these  are  dehghted  with  it.  But  now  if  you  and  others  whom 
I  need  will  grow  weary  in  well  doing,  it  will  be  up-hill  work.  I 
have  as  good  a  reason  as  the  rest  of  you  and  even  better,  to  drop 
it  and  content  myself  with  my  numerous  other  duties.  But  I 
pitied  our  people  and  do  yet;  and  feel  as  if  I  could  do  almost 
anything  in  my  power  for  them.  Now,  why  your  silence?  You 
are  among  the  few  who  understand  what  is  needed  and  can  lend 
a  helping  hand.  Why  won't  you  do  it?  Hilf  Bruder!  I  believe 
I  have  owed  you  this  letter  long  ago.  You  wrote  kindly  the 
last  time  about  my  weariness  under  my  burdens  and  it  cheered 
me  afresh.  I  have  so  much  to  bear.  Most  of  the  time  I  can 
bear  all  with  a  cheerful,  thankful  heart.  But  sometimes  a  man 
will  get  weak  spells. 

This  was  written  in  the  paper's  first  year  and  the  following 
in  its  fifth: 

Yes,  I  have  repeatedly  regretted  your  neglect  of  the  Haus- 
freund; but  took  it  for  granted  that  some  insuperable  hindrance 
was  the  cause  of  it.  Please  resume  your  labors  in  its  behalf 
soon,  no  matter  under  what  title  or  signature.  I  am  sorry  too, 
to  hear  that  you  are  troubled  with  spells  of  despondency.  Doubt- 
less, this  is  chiefly  occasioned  by  physical  troubles.  You  have 
borne  heavy  burdens,  which  are  liable  to  wear  upon  the  body. 
Still,  even  in  such  a  frame  of  mind,  it  is  the  wisest  plan  to  give 
the  mind  plenty  to  do — especially  in  easy  composition,  such  as 
the  usual  class  of  newspaper  articles  afford.  God  favors  me 
generally  with  a  contented,  cheerful  spirit — even  amid  burdens 
and  annoyances  unusually  depressing.  I  believe,  besides  God's 
grace,  my  much  writing  and  constant  press  of  congenial  work 
help  to  produce  this. 

Schick  mir  bald  wieder  ein  Brief  ftir  den  Hausfreund* 

*Send  me  a  letter  soon  again  for  the  Hausfreund. 


EDITOR   OF   THE    HAUSFREUND  279 

The  note  of  warm  appreciation  we  see  very  conspicuous  in 
Dr.  Bausman's  relations  with  his  associates.  Dr.  Keller  stood 
by  him  through  the  entire  history  of  the  paper  and  gave  special 
help  in  1884,  when  he  was  in  Europe,  and  in  1886,  when  he  visited 
the  Pacific  coast,  and  on  other  occasions.  The  following  note  is 
typical  of  many  written  to  Keller  and  certainly  likewise  to  his 
other  assistants: 

Reading,  Dec.  2,  1886. 
Dear  Brother  K.: 

Permit  me  to  thank  you  for  the  invaluable  services  which  you 
have  heretofore  and  during  the  year  now  drawing  to  a  close, 
bestowed  upon  the  Hausfreund.  I  am  so  glad  that  you  have 
not  grown  weary  in  this  form  of  well  doing.  I  need  not  assure 
you  that  your  articles  have  always  been  read  with  interest  and 
profit.  Your  series  on  secret  societies  was  timely.  They  ab- 
sorb an  immense  amount  of  force  which  belongs  and  ought  to 
be  given  to  the  Church. 

Yours  gratefully, 

B.  Bausman. 

They  had  the  usual  difficulties  and  chagrin  experienced  by 
those  who  write  for  the  newspaper  press,  as  indicated  by  the 
following : 

Dear  Brother  Keller: 

Eine  verhudelte  Geschichte,*  or,  as  Dr.  Schaff  says:  "Fee 
vorld  is  all  confuss."  I  read  the  third  proof  of  the  Hausfreund. 
That  error  about  the  Pennsylvanier,  I  corrected.  But  the 
printer  did  not.  I  know  from  experience  how  terribly  provoking 
it  is  to  have  one's  articles  made  ungrammatical  and  spoil  their 
sense,  when  it  is  too  late  to  correct  them.  Will  try  to  be  more 
careful. 

The  scope,  purpose  and  character  of  the  paper  as  indicated 
in  the  early  pages  of  this  chapter  were  strictly  adhered  to  through- 
out. Dr.  Bausman  knew  his  constituency  and  knew  also  how  to 
touch,  nourish  and  inspire  them.  It  is  beautiful  to  see  the  tact 
and  humor  with  which  he  deals  with  this  people.  He  was  con- 
siderate of  many  of  their  shortcomings  for  which  they  were  not 
wholly  to  blame,  he  minced  no  words  in  denouncing  their  sins, 
but  he  stoutly  resented  any  ridicule  heaped  upon  them  by  those 

■  A  mixed  up  business. 


280  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

who  did  not  understand  and  hence  had  no  sympathy  with  them. 
He  was  proud  of  the  soHd,  homely  virtues  and  native  piety 
which  lay  concealed  sometimes  beneath  a  rough  exterior,  and  the 
columns  of  his  paper  echoed  with  the  good  deeds  done  by  Penn- 
sylvania Germans  past  and  present.  The  style  of  writing  was 
simple,  but  the  purity  of  the  language  was  preserved.  Its  range 
of  ideas  was  limited,  for  it  must  touch  the  actual  lives  of  the 
people  whose  horizon  of  experience  was  not  wide. 

Toward  the  close  of  Dr.  Bausman's  career,  a  writer  com- 
menting on  his  life  and  work  said:  "From  a  literary  point  of 
view,  the  editorship  of  such  a  paper  may  not  have  been  very 
attractive."  We  do  not  believe  he  was  influenced  at  all  by  lit- 
erary ambition,  and  the  question  as  to  a  task's  being  pleasant  or 
unpleasant  was  altogether  submerged  beneath  the  conviction 
that  it  ought  to  be  done.  When  after  1881,  one  or  the  other  of 
two  editorships  had  to  be  dropped,  the  fact  that  it  was  easier 
to  secure  an  editor  for  the  Guardian  was  sufficient  reason  for  his 
remaining  at  the  head  of  the  Hausfreund.  He  did  not  preach 
German  in  St.  Paul's  Church,  but  he  had  great  facility  in 
its  use.  He  was  doubtless  comforted  in  having  his  paper  as  a 
channel  in  which  to  use  it. 

In  addition  to  his  regular  and  copious  editorial  comments,  he 
wrote  many  other  articles.  His  travels  abroad  were  rewritten 
in  short  and  simple  articles.  His  pleasure,  vacation  and  business 
trips  from  time  to  time  were  almost  sure  to  be  dished  up  into 
little  feasts  for  his  Hausfreund  readers.  His  rich  and  varied  ex- 
periences provided  a  fund  of  acceptable  material  and  the  religious 
and  moral  purpose  was  always  in  evidence. 

Most  notable  were  his  several  courses  of  "Fireside  Tales." 
During  the  first  year  of  his  paper  these  "Tales"  were  very  char- 
acteristically narratives  of  Germany,  Switzerland  and  Holland; 
the  succeeding  four  or  five  years,  they  were  "Out  of  the  East," 
tales  of  his  travels  in  Palestine  and  signed  with  the  Roman 
cross  ~j~  his  signature  when  formerly  contributing  editor  of  the 
Messenger.  They  helped  greatly  to  popularize  the  paper.  In 
April,  1875,  his  "Sinai  and  Zion"  was  published  in  German. 
Prior  to  its  publication  some  of  the  translated  sections  were 
published  in  the  paper. 


EDITOR   OF   THE    HAUSFREUND  281 

As  soon  as  he  discontinued  the  editorship  of  the  Guardian 
another  course  of  "Fireside  Tales"  was  begun  in  the  Hausfreund, 
about  forty  in  number.  They  continued  thus  from  1882  on  to 
the  spring  of  1884,  when  he  and  Mrs.  Bausman  went  abroad. 
They  covered  a  variety  of  unrelated  topics  from  "Blue  Mon- 
day" and  "The  Jews"  to  "Conestoga  Wagons"  and  "Old  Davy 
Johnson,"  the  colored  janitor  of  old  Marshall  College.  The 
trips  to  Europe  in  1884  and  to  the  West  in  1886  furnished,  as  we 
have  seen,  material  for  many  columns.  In  fact,  after  the  burden 
of  the  Guardian  was  laid  down  many  subjects  ministering  to  a 
broader  culture,  which  would  naturally  have  been  prepared  for 
that  magazine,  were  dressed  up  in  the  German  garb  and  graced  the 
pages  of  the  Hausfreund. 

The  first  decade  of  the  Hausfreund^ s  life  was  the  period  of  the 
most  intense  and  bitter  strife  in  the  Liturgical  Controversy  in 
the  Reformed  Church.  It  was  not  easy  for  Dr.  Bausman  to 
maintain  the  avowed  neutral  position  of  his  paper.  It  was  a 
situation  similar  to  that  in  the  early  months  of  the  Civil  War 
when  he  was  editor  of  the  Messenger.  Here,  as  there,  he  made 
enemies  and  was  misunderstood  by  his  best  friends  and  had 
troubles  with  his  own  associates.  Some  of  his  difficulties  in  this 
connection  are  referred  to  in  letters  to  Dr.  Helfrich: 

is  angry  with  me  for  stopping  the  controversy  between 

him  and  Schneck.     Stopped  his  paper.     This  is  my  reward. 

Again : 

I  don't  know  what  you  refer  to  in  your  article  charging  the 
Hausfreund  with  being  one-sided.    On  the  other  side  of  the  question 

Brother charges  it  with  leaning  too  much  toward  your  side 

and  has  not  forgiven  it  to  this  day  for  refusing  to  insert  a  strong 
article  of  his  a  year  or  two  ago. 

Weiser  charges  it  with  having  the  "Auszehrung."*  After  you 
and  he  and  others  through  your  influence  stand  aloof,  and  let 
me  with  all  my  burdens  flounder  and  struggle  in  my  own  poor 
way,  and  then  in  the  end,  you  and  he  send  me  articles  which, 
after  all  I  have  tried  to  do,  hold  me  up  before  all  its  readers,  to 
say  the  least,  in  a  most  unfavorable  and  unfair  light.  And  I  am  to 
put  both  these  articles  in  the  paper  with  their  slaps  at  myself. 

*  Consumption. 


282  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

Would  you  have  done  it?  I  am  not  angry,  but  a  man  has  feel- 
ings, which  you  have  reason  to  know  from  experience,  as  well 
as  I.  Taking  it  ail  in  all,  do  you  think  you  could  have  edited 
the  Hausfreund  for  seven  years  and  kept  it  more  free  from  one- 
sided bitter  controversy  and  the  heated  theological  battle  than 
I  have  done? 

Your  brother  in  Christ, 

B.  Bausman. 

However  unbiassed  he  himself  might  be,  it  was  yet  impossible 
to  maintain  absolutely  untainted  neutrality  amongst  the  con- 
tributors, as  he  wrote  to  Keller: 

If  I  would  become  disgusted  and  disheartened  every  time 
things  are  not  done  according  to  my  conscientious  views,  I  would 
have  a  sad  time  of  it.  Shall  I  reject  every  article  that  may 
contain  much  good,  edifying  reading  and  among  all,  a  hint  or 
squint  toward  some  extreme  view?  I  can't  allow  myself  to  go 
into  detail  on  this  feature  of  editorial  perplexity,  lest  I  might 
write  myself  into  a  more  gloomy  feeling  than  it  is  advisable  for 
me  to  risk  just  now.  If  it  were  not  for  the  unbounded  grace  of 
God,  what  would  become  of  a  man!  God  bless  you,  my  dear 
brother.  Mer  hen  ebe  all  unser  Biindli  zu  trage,  aber  ebmpls 
driickt's  ehm  barter  wie  annere  Zeite.* 

Yours  fraternally, 

B.  Bausman. 

Not  only  did  the  Hausfreund  maintain  the  non-committal 
attitude  on  the  questions  under  discussion  in  which  good  men 
differed,  but  it  was  a  positive  herald  for  peace  between  the  con- 
tending parties.  The  questions  under  discussion  were  weighty 
and  important,  but  the  animus  of  the  debate  was  damaging  to 
the  Church.  In  his  very  first  editorial  this  note  of  peace  was 
sounded.  The  paper  would  engage  in  no  strife.  Sin  in  its  every 
form  was  the  one  thing  which  it  would  fight.  Long  before  the 
Peace  Movement  of  1878,  Dr.  Bausman  called  earnestly  for  an 
*' Armistice." 

"Pepper  or  Oil"  was  a  strong  article  appearing  in  February, 
1873,  and  on  the  Church  Question  debate  he  urged  the  use  of  the 
latter,  not  the  former.     In  June  and  July,  1874,  appeared  other 

*  Each  one  has  his  own  little  burden  to  bear,  but  sometimes  it  presses  one 
harder  than  at  other  times. 


EDITOR   or   THE   HAUSFREUND  283 

•strong  editorials  and  then  already  he  observed  signs  that 
the  leaven  of  peace  was  beginning  to  work.  His  friend,  Dr. 
Bomberger,  however,  differed  from  him.  In  his  view,  the 
question  had  but  one  side  and  peace  must  be  won  by  fight- 
ing. Dr.  Bausman  said  we  need  to  remember  that  no  mortal 
man  can  fully  comprehend  the  truth,  that  every  such  ques- 
tion has  two  sides  and  each  side  has  its  measure  of  truth. 
Let  the  battle  cease  that  the  contestants  may  cool  off  and  be  more 
composed.  Let  opponents  shake  hands  like  brothers  and  try  to 
see  the  good  one  in  the  other.  In  nine  out  of  ten  points  they 
^re  in  agreement.  Let  the  point  of  difference  be  minimized. 
If  the  diverging  view  must  be  debated,  let  the  discussion  be 
kindly,  respectful  and  manly. 

Undoubtedly  Dr.  Bausman's  influence  through  the  Haus- 
freund  did  much  to  allay  the  strife  and  to  lead  the  Church  into 
the  larger,  practical  activity  which  has  become  her  distinguishing 
mark  in  the  last  few  decades. 

At  the  head  of  every  issue  of  the  Hausfreund  was  the  state- 
ment, "Published  under  the  direction  of  a  Committee  of  the 
German  Reformed  Synod."  This  Committee  was  very  active 
during  the  earlier  years  and  reported  regularly  to  Synod.  In 
the  early  eighties  the  reports  became  very  meager,  and  after  1884 
we  find  no  reports  whatever.  Dr.  W.  A.  Helfrich  was  chairman 
during  the  first  eight  years,  the  Rev.  E.  W.  Reinecke  followed 
for  six  years,  and  he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  J.  W.  Steinmetz, 
pastor  of  St.  John's  Reformed  Church,  Reading.  During  the 
latter  half  of  the  paper's  history,  the  Church  heard  little  or 
nothing  of  the  paper  in  an  official  way,  but  the  periodical  always 
remained  most  loyal  to  every  interest  of  the  denomination. 

We  have  seen  how  the  paper  found  itself  and  got  on  a  stable 
basis  after  Daniel  Miller  took  charge  of  the  business  and  me- 
chanical part  of  it.  With  untiring  energy  and  resourcefulness, 
he  rendered  the  enterprise  great  service  and  at  the  same  time 
reahzed  a  legitimate  profit  for  his  work  and  investment.  With- 
out such  assistance.  Dr.  Bausman  would  not  have  been  able  to 
publish  the  paper  for  so  many  years.  From  the  beginning  of 
his  connection  with  the  paper,  Mr.  Miller  relieved  Dr.  Bausman 
■of  the  church  news  department  and  did  whatever  editing  was 


284  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

therein  required.  The  enlarging  of  the  paper  was  Mr.  Miller's 
venture;  but  he  was  able  to  do  it  with  advantage,  because  many- 
articles  in  the  Republikaner  of  special  interest  to  the  farmers 
were  also  inserted  in  the  Hausfreund.  The  constituency  of  both 
papers  was  almost  entirely  rural.  Toward  the  end  of  the  paper's 
history,  Mr.  Miller  did  more  of  the  editorial  writing  and  the 
last  five  years  assumed  the  whole  editorial  burden.  Dr.  Bausman 
writing  only  occasionally.  He  wished  to  spare  himself  at  his 
advanced  age,  though  he  retained  full  financial  and  editorial 
responsibility  to  the  close  of  the  enterprise. 

We  have  noted  how  the  periodical  in  its  fifth  year  began  to 
yield  a  surplus  which  was  devoted  to  benevolent  objects.  These 
profits  continued  to  accrue  for  nearly  twenty-five  years  and 
yielded  an  aggregate  of  fully  $4,500  which  was  devoted  to  Mis- 
sions and  the  Orphans.  St.  John's  Reformed  Church,  Reading, 
was  the  first  and  probably  the  largest  single  beneficiary.  The 
$500  given  to  St.  Andrew's,  Reading,  in  1889,  must  have  been 
amongst  the  last  large  gifts  from  this  source. 

The  salary  of  $200  stipulated  for  the  editor  in  1870  was  not 
paid  for  long,  even  as  was  hinted  then  in  one  of  Bausman's  let- 
ters to  Helfrich.  The  paper  could  not  afford  it  and  still  have 
anything  left  for  benevolence  worth  speaking  of.  At  any  rate 
the  editor's  salary  was  purely  nominal  and  whatever  money  was 
paid  to  Dr.  Bausman  for  that  purpose  was  simply  taking  another 
course  to  the  same  benevolent  end,  for  every  year  he  paid  out 
to  the  various  causes  of  the  Church  far  more  than  any  salary 
ever  fixed  for  him  by  the  Hausfreund  Committee. 

During  the  last  ten  years  the  income  from  the  paper  paid  no 
more  than  the  cost  of  printing  it.  The  subscription  list  was 
shrinking — inevitably  so.  The  rising  generation  in  East  Penn- 
sylvania read  English,  very  few  of  them  could  read  the  German 
at  all.  The  foreign  Germans  were  well  provided  for  by  the 
Kirchenzeitung.  No  new  subscribers  could  be  secured,  and  the 
discontinuances  were  nearly  all  occasioned  by  death.  Dr.  Baus- 
man was  wont  to  say  to  Mr.  Miller:  "As  soon  as  the  income 
will  no  longer  cover  the  printing,  let  us  quit."  They  managed 
to  keep  the  paper  going  three  years  in  the  present  century. 

It  was  great  cause  of  regret  to  many  readers  that  the  refresh- 


EDITOR   OF   THE   HAUSFREUND  285 

ing  visits  of  the  Hausfreund  had  to  be  discontinued.     Not  a  few- 
had  read  it  continuously  from  the  very  first  issue. 

An  arrangement  was  entered  into  with  the  Cleveland  Publish- 
ing House  to  unite  it  with  the  Kirchenzeitung,  the  organ  of  the 
three  German  Synods.  Dr.  Eli  Keller,  who  wrote  so  acceptably 
and  faithfully  for  the  Hausfreund  from  the  first,  became  the 
eastern  or  contributing  editor  of  the  Kirchenzeitung. 

The  Hausfreund  did  its  work  in  this  transition  period  from  the 
German  to  the  English  language  in  East  Pennsylvania.  Mr. 
Bausman  said  editorially  in  the  Messenger  in  1866,  that  three- 
fourths  of  the  churches  in  this  section  then  had  exclusively  Ger- 
man services.  Now  nearly  all  have  introduced  English  and  in 
very  many  no  German  whatever  is  used.  The  service  rendered 
by  the  Hausfreund  was  a  delicate  and  difficult  one  to  perform 
but  of  inestimable  value,  and  the  Church  is  very  different  because 
of  it.  A  reviewer  of  Dr.  Bausman's  life  and  w^ork  spoke  of  this 
as  "a  great  success,  and  the  effect  of  its  continued  influence  no 
man  can  estimate."  It  is  doubtful  whether  any  one  of  Dr. 
Bausman's  many  lines  of  work  for  the  Church  was  so  great  and 
far-reaching  in  its  blessed  results.  Interest  in  missions  was  aroused 
amongst  members  over  the  heads  of  certain  pastors  who  opposed 
the  cause.  Mr.  Miller  tells  interesting  stories  of  men  who  came 
to  him  with  money  for  this  object,  because  pastors  did  not  afford 
them  the  opportunity  of  giving.  Large  gifts  of  money  are  di- 
rectly traceable  to  the  paper's  influence.  The  spirit  of  loyalty  to 
the  Church  and  her  various  enterprises  was  thereby  wonderfully 
enhanced;  confidence  in  those  who  administered  the  Church's 
general  interests  was  more  widely  established  and  the  spirit  of 
independence  so  rife  in  certain  sections  a  generation  ago  has 
almost  entirely  disappeared. 

The  publication  of  the  Hausfreund  was  a  great  work  of  God, 
an  "effective,  fervent"  utterance  of  that  prayer  which  was  its 
motto : 

"Thy  Kingdom  come,  Thy  will  be  done." 


CHAPTER  XV 

Bethany  Orphans'  Home — 1865-1909 

NEXT  to  St.  Paul's  congregation,  among  the  many  interests 
in  the  Church  to  which  Dr.  Bausman  gave  himself,  none 
was  so  close  to  his  heart  as  Bethany  Orphans'  Home. 

He  was  elected  to  the  Board  of  Managers  in  January,  1865, 
was  chosen  President  of  the  Board  at  Bridesburg,  on  the  9th  of 
March  following,  and  continued  in  that  position  of  great  influence 
to  his  death — for  a  period  of  over  forty-four  years.  With  no 
other  Church  enterprise  was  he  so  long  comiected  and  we  can 
be  sure  that  in  no  other  service  did  he  find  more  unalloyed  pleas- 
ure. 

It  was  in  the  day  of  small  things,  when  he  was  called  to  have 
part  in  the  management  of  the  institution.  It  had  been  opened 
by  the  reception  of  the  first  orphan  child  only  sixteen  months 
before,  on  September  21,  1863,  but  he  had  already  shown  his 
keen  interest  and  given  substantial  help. 

The  Home  was  started  in  the  family  of  the  Rev.  Emanuel 
Boehringer,  in  Southwark,  702  Morris  St.,  Philadelphia,  but 
could  not  long  remain  there.  In  the  summer  of  1864,  it  was  re- 
moved to  the  newly  purchased  property  at  Bridesburg,  a  suburb 
of  Philadelphia.  In  an  effort  to  raise  $5,000  to  pay  for  this 
property,  it  was  proposed  that  one  hundred  persons  subscribe 
$50  each.  Mr.  Bausman  was  one  of  a  score  or  more  who  fur- 
thered this  plan  by  the  payment  of  $50. 

The  Synod  had  been  discussing  the  feasibility  of  starting 
Orphans'  Homes  as  early  as  1860  and  at  the  Synod  of  Carlisle 
in  October,  1863,  "a  committee  of  three  was  appointed  to  pre- 
pare a  report  on  the  subject  of  Orphans'  Homes  to  be  submitted 
to  the  General  Synod,"  which  met  the  first  time  the  following 
month   in   Pittsburg.     Mr.   Bausman   was   on   this   committee, 


BETHANY  ORPHANS'  HOME  287 

though  he  was  not  privileged  to  attend  the  General  Synod.  The 
report  was  made  by  its  chairman,  the  Rev.  Geo.  B.  Russell. 

The  founder  of  the  Home,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Boehringer,  was  a 
German  pastor  and  it  was  in  the  Church  of  Germany  that  models 
were  found  for  this  noble  charity.  Mr.  Bausman  had  visited 
such  homes  when  traveling  on  the  Continent  in  1856  and  had 
been  greatly  impressed  and  wrote  about  them.  In  the  suburbs 
of  Berlin  was  "a  large  establishment,  very  appropriately  called 
Bethany,"  under  the  care  of  deaconesses,  as  we  read  in  his  "Way- 
side Gleanings."  For  the  first  ten  years  of  its  history,  the  in- 
stitution founded  in  Philadelphia  was  called  "The  Orphans^ 
Home  of  the  Shepherd  of  the  Lambs."  The  shorter  name  by 
which  it  has  come  to  be  known  at  Womelsdorf  doubtless  was 
chosen,  not  only  because  of  the  touching  Biblical  associations, 
but  also  because  of  the  asylum  at  the  German  capital  of  which 
Dr.  Bausman  said:  "A  holy  atmosphere  seemed  to  hover  around 
the  place."  He  himself  observed  in  his  Christmas  Letter,  1906: 
"I  named  the  baby.  At  one  of  the  Board  meetings  long  ago 
I  asked  the  Managers  to  give  the  Home  the  name  of  Bethany 
instead  of  the  one  it  had  before." 

It  was  soon  realized  that  a  more  desirable  location  must  be 
secured  for  the  Home  than  Bridesburg  and  Mr.  Bausman  entered 
most  heartily  into  the  plan  of  bringing  it  somewhere  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  Reading.  He  himself,  accompanied  often  by  a  member 
of  the  Board  or  by  Dr.  McCauley,  visited  about  a  dozen  places 
until  what  was  felt  to  be  the  proper  location  was  found.  He  also 
asked  the  assistance  of  his  revered  teacher,  who  was  chairman 
of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  Orphans'  Homes  for  the  Church, 
created  at  the  first  meeting  of  General  Synod.  The  frank  and 
interesting  answer  follows: 

Lancaster,  August  6,  1866. 
Rev.  B.  Bausman. 

My  dear  Sir: 

It  will  not  suit  me  to  visit  Reading  this  week  as  you  propose, 
other  requisitions  coming  in  the  way.  I  am  well  satisfied,  at  the 
same  time,  that  my  presence  with  you  could  be  of  no  material 
account  for  the  object  you  have  in  hand.  My  farming  experience 
is  just  enough  to  convince  me  that  my  judgment  of  farming  in- 
terests is  worth  very  little.     You  can  find  far  better  counsel  for 


288  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

your  purpose  from  any  honest  farmer  in  the  neighborhood;  and 
I  have  no  fears  of  your  being  able,  with  the  assistance  of  the 
friends  you  will  have  with  you,  to  judge  wisely  of  the  suitable- 
ness generally  of  the  property  you  have  in  view  for  the  location 
of  our  Orphans'  Home.  Your  own  practical  judgment  in  par- 
ticular I  am  willing  to  trust  in  the  case,  as  altogether  safer  than 
my  owTi. 

Yours  sincerely, 

J.  W.  Nevin. 

On  June  21,  1867,  Mr.  Bausman  made  this  entry  in  his  diary: 

Went  with  Mr.  Leiss  and  Mr.  McHose  to  see  Manderbach's 
Springs  for  an  Orphans'  Home.  Capital  place  for  us  and  can  be 
had.  Have  called  a  meeting  of  the  Board  there.  Offers  it  to  us 
for  $30,000,  including  furniture. 

A  few  days  later  was  recorded  this  entry: 

Mr.  Manderbach  sent  word  that  he  cannot  give  his  Springs 
for  less  than  $40,000!  A  letter  froin  Mr.  Heisler  urging  his 
resignation.     A  dreary  day  for  me. 

On  Thursday,  the  27th  of  June,  1867,  the  Board  met  at  the 
Manderbach  Springs: 

All  there  (twelve)  save  Mr.  Gross.  Bought  it  for  $33,000, 
without  the  furniture.     All  seemed  rejoiced. 

Another  diary  note  on  the  following  day  reads: 

Wrote  six  or  eight  letters  to  men  of  wealth  in  our  Church  for 
$1,000  subscriptions.  We  must  have  $12,000  by  October  15. 
Mr.  Heisler  here  last  night.     Is  pleased  and  contented  again. 

The  Board  of  Managers  themselves  set  a  fine  example  of  heroic 
liberality  to  the  wealthy  members  of  the  Church  to  whom  they 
were  appealing.  Seven  of  their  number,  Dr.  Bausman  among 
them,  gave  $1,000  each  and  "the  rest  a  smaller  yet,  relatively, 
a  liberal  sum." 

The  following  report  presented  by  Mr.  Bausman  to  the  Synod 
which  convened  October  16,  1867,  shows  the  Orphans'  Home 
situation  as  viewed  by  the  Board  of  Managers  and  its  President 
and  his  own  tender  feelings  regarding  thcoC  dependent  wards  of 
the  Church: 


BETHANY  ORPHANS'  HOME  289 

To  THE  Synod  of  the  German  Reformed  Church  Convened 

IN  Baltimore,  Md., 

Fathers  and  Brethren: 

The  Board  of  Managers  of  "The  Orphans'  Home  of  the  Shep- 
herd of  the  Lambs"  deem  it  due  to  you,  and  to  the  congregations 
which  you  represent,  to  submit  a  statement  of  the  institution 
under  their  care.  It  has  been  felt  for  some  time  past,  that  the 
Home  ought  to  be  removed  to  a  more  suitable  place.  Bridesburg 
is  not  sufficiently  easy  of  access.  It  is  not  in  the  heart  of  the 
Church.  Besides,  the  buildings  are  not  adaptable  for  the  wants 
of  an  Orphans'  Home.  After  endeavoring,  for  more  than  a  year 
past,  to  secure  a  more  suitable  property,  the  Board  at  length 
purchased  the  "South  Mountain  Spring"  property  near  Womels- 
dorf.  Pa.,  for  the  sum  of  S33,000.  It  is  located  at  the  foot  of 
the  South  Mountain,  within  a  short  distance  of  the  Lebanon 
Valley  Railroad.  Its  health-giving  water  and  mountain  air  have 
acquired  a  national  reputation.  The  buildings  are  large,  con- 
taining some  fifty  rooms.  The  property  is  located  in  one  of  the 
most  populous  Reformed  districts  in  Pennsylvania — among  a 
people  who  have  already  shown  the  liveliest  sympathy  for  this 
Home  and  its  inmates. 

About  $10,000  has  been  secured  since  the  purchase  of  the  new 
Home,  with  which  the  first  payment  has  been  liquidated.  If  we 
can  succeed  in  disposing  of  our  property  at  Bridesburg  to  advan- 
tage, we  will  be  able  to  reduce  our  liabilities  to  about  $15,000. 
We  now  have  one  hundred  orphans  in  the  Home,  and  ten  persons 
to  attend  to  them.  In  a  few  months  the  number  of  orphans  will 
be  increased  to  one  hundred  and  twenty  one.  With  heavy  cur- 
rent expenses,  and  a  large  debt,  the  liabilities  of  the  Home  may 
seem  threatening.  Yet,  we  take  pleasure  in  stating,  that  the 
Board  breathes  easily  under  its  burden.  Whilst  none  of  its  mem- 
bers have  any  taste  for  debts,  per  se,  they  derive  unmingled 
pleasure  from  the  willing  hearts  and  liberal  hands  which  so  cheer- 
fully help  to  bear  and  pay  theirs.  We  have  bought  this  property, 
not  for  ourselves,  but  for  the  Church.  It  is  to  furnish  a  home 
for  the  fatherless.  Our  Saviour  is  their  Father.  In  His  name  we 
"take  them  in."  In  His  name  we  appeal  to  all  Christian  people 
for  help.  The  Church  is  the  mother  of  us  all — the  mother  of 
these  orphans.  Her  heart  is  moved  with  tender  pity  for  them. 
Here,  in  this  beautiful  mountain  Home,  she  affords  them  her 
nursing  ministrations,  presses  their  parentless  hearts  to  her 
warm  bosom,  and  rocks  them  to  their  nightly  rest  by  chanting 
the  lullabies  of  a  blessed  immortality.  "Can  a  woman  forget 
her  sucking  child?"  Can  the  Church  forget  her  orphans?  Can 
19 


290  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

Christ's  people  turn  Him  away  empty  from  their  doors,  in  the 
persons  of  these  "httle  ones?" 

We  commend  our  Home — your  Home — to  your  charitable 
sympathy  and  prayers.  Come  and  taste  the  sweetness  of  loving 
and  living  for  those,  who  are,  in  a  preeminent  sense,  children 
in  Christ's  stead.  Their  presence  is  redolent  with  the  fragrance 
of  Eden.  "I  say  unto  you,  that  in  heaven  their  angels  do  always 
behold  the  face  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  Their 
prayers  are  a  perpetual  benediction  upon  those  who  love  them. 
Yours  respectfully, 

B.  Bausman, 
President  of  the  Board  of  Managers. 

For  considerations  of  health  and  economy  of  administration, 
it  was  wise  to  remove  the  Home,  but  it  was  also  a  great  stra- 
tegic move.  Through  its  location  in  the  midst  of  the  constitu- 
ency to  which  it  must  look  for  support,  its  needs  could  the  more 
readily  be  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  people  and  thus  their 
hearts  would  be  opened  and  warmed  toward  the  orphans.  Thus, 
the  people  would  give  more  largely  and  obtain  the  larger  blessing. 
It  would  serve  thus  even  a  further  purpose.  We  have  noted 
Dr.  Bausman's  passionate  desire  to  awaken  the  interest  of  the 
Church  in  Eastern  Permsylvania  in  the  general  benevolent  ac- 
tivities of  the  denomination.  The  Hausfreund  instructed  the 
minds  of  the  people  regarding  the  Church's  needs,  the  Home 
opened  their  hands.  If  the  little  German  paper  told  them  what 
to  do,  the  Home  at  Womelsdorf  was  close  at  hand  to  challenge 
their  help  and  was  of  such  a  character  as  to  appeal  to  the  home- 
loving  Pennsylvania  German  more  quickly  and  more  strongly 
than  any  other  benevolent  object  of  the  Church.  Its  location 
was  such,  moreover,  that  it  could  be  visited.  Any  one  who 
saw  the  actual  workings  of  the  Home  was  bound  to  be  pleased 
and  become  its  lasting  friend,  and  every  loyal  member  of  the 
Church  in  Eastern  Pennsylvania  considers  it  as  much  his  duty 
to  visit  Bethany  Orphans'  Home  as  the  devout  Mohammedan 
his  Mecca.  When  people  once  became  interested  in  the  Home 
and  a  beginning  in  benevolent  giving  was  made,  it  would  be 
easy  to  get  them  to  support  other  Church  enterprises.  Thus 
it  has  worked  in  the  history  of  the  Church  as  Dr.  Bausman  un- 
doubtedly saw  that  it  would. 


BETHANY  ORPHANS'  HOME  291 

The  orphans  were  brought  from  Bridesburg  to  Womelsdorf 
on  the  first  day  of  October,  1867,  and  they  had  in  Mr.  Baus- 
man's  words  "a  dehghtful  time."  The  latter  part  of  that  month 
the  new  Home  was  dedicated,  the  president  of  FrankUn  and 
Marshall  College  performing  the  act  of  consecration.  His  note 
accepting  Mr.  Bausman's  invitation  to  render  this  service  fol- 
lows: 

My  Dear  Sir: 

Though  it  will  interfere  some  with  my  College  work,  coming 
so  close  on  my  return  from  Synod,  I  feel  that  I  have  no  right  to 
decline  your  invitation  in  behalf  of  the  Orphans'  Home,  which 
in  itself,  also  I  consider  it  a  privilege  to  accept.  God  willing, 
then,  I  hope  to  be  with  you,  and  to  perform  the  service  you  re- 
quest, on  the  29th  of  the  month.  I  am  just  about  leaving  home 
for  Baltimore. 

Yours  sincerely, 

J.  W.  Nevin. 

During  the  first  three  years  of  Bausman's  connection  with 
the  institution,  it  claimed  a  great  deal  of  his  time  and  attention. 
In  all  that  was  done  then  as  through  the  four  decades  to  follow 
he  was  the  presiding  genius.  As  we  strive  to  understand  the 
man  and  see  what  he  did,  we  need  to  bear  in  mind  that  these 
early  years  on  the  Board  of  Managers  were  the  remarkably  busy 
ones  when  he  undertook  so  many  great  things  and  there  seemed 
to  be  almost  no  limit  to  what  he  could  do.  The  Spirit  of  God 
then  moved  mightily  upon  him  and  he  seemed  like  one  of  the 
judges  of  Israel  raised  up  at  a  special  time  to  do  a  special  work 
in  a  crisis  of  his  people's  history.  It  was  then  he  led  off  in  the 
trying  movement  to  divide  the  old  First  Church  in  Reading 
of  which  he  was  pastor.  It  was  then,  he  founded  the  Haus- 
freund  and  became  editor  of  the  Guardian.  It  was  then  he 
collected  the  $18,000  to  save  the  Church's  printing  establish- 
ment and  soon  thereafter  that  he  edited  "Harbaugh's  Harfe,"  be- 
sides being  on  nearly  all  the  Boards  of  the  Church.  Younger 
men  of  the  Church  have  sometimes  wondered  at  the  regard  and 
honor  accorded  Dr.  Bausman.  As  we  follow  him  through  these 
years  we  can  understand  why  those  who  knew  what  he  was  and 
did,  should  mention  his  name  with  a  reverence  almost  akin  to 
worship. 


292  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

He  came  to  the  help  of  the  institution  in  its  small  discouraging 
beginnings,  he  lived  to  see  it  one  of  the  largest  and  best  managed 
Orphans'  Homes  and  the  most  loyally  supported  of  all  the  in- 
stitutions in  his  Church.  When  the  property  was  bought  at 
Womelsdorf  the  Board  of  Managers  had  nothing  but  faith  in 
God  and  in  the  sympathy  and  liberality  of  the  people — for  the 
Bridesburg  property  yielded  only  enough  to  cover  its  debts.  Dr. 
Bausman  lived  to  see  properties  and  values  centering  at  Womels- 
dorf of  over  $125,000,  and  the  Home  rooted  in  the  people's  affec- 
tions and  habits  of  giving  in  such  a  way  as  to  guarantee  its  main- 
tenance through  the  years.  But  few  of  the  parentless  children 
could  be  cared  for  in  the  beginning.  He  was  privileged  to  see 
its  capacity  steadily  enlarging,  and  by  the  time  of  his  death 
nearly  one  thousand  orphans  had  been  cared  for  and  given  a 
genuinely  Christian  training. 

It  is  generally  recognized  that  the  success  of  this  institution 
has  been  due  most  largely  to  his  wise  leadership  and  oversight. 
Mr.  Charles  Santee  of  Philadelphia,  in  corresponding  with  Dr. 
Bausman  regarding  his  gift  for  Santee  Hall  in  1891,  said: 

It  is  well  understood  and  appreciated  throughout  the  Church, 
that  under  God,  your  personal  influence  has  been  the  mainstay 
of  the  Orphans'  Home.  Of  course,  I  mean  that  the  confidence 
placed  in  you  has  brought  to  the  Home  the  kind  of  assistance 
so  much  needed  in  carrying  forward  its  affairs  so  successfully. 

The  great  work  of  the  Home  has  been  done  by  the  united 
efforts  of  many  hands  and  hearts,  but  Dr.  Bausman's  spirit  per- 
vaded it  all.  He  was  very  fortunate  in  getting  about  him  in 
the  Board  of  Managers  a  group  of  kindred  souls  and  their  choice 
of  Superintendents  and  helpers  in  the  Home  was  unusually  happy. 

The  Board  of  Managers,  in  its  functions  and  in  its  relations 
to  the  Church,  is  imique.  It  is  made  up  always  of  members 
of  the  Reformed  Church,  but  they  are  elected  by  no  Church 
judicatory.  The  Board  is  self-constitutive  and  fills  its  own 
vacancies  and  elects  to  the  position  such  as  they  are  best  able  to 
know  are  fitted  for  it.  It  has  thus  had  a  unity  and  a  continuity 
of  purpose  and  of  action  which  has  been  altogether  advantageous. 
When  Mr.  Bausman  became  connected  with  the  Board,  factional 


BETHANY  ORPHANS'  HOME  293 

spirit  was  rife  in  the  denomination  and  it  was  very  difficult  to 
keep  church  politics  out  of  any  Board  elected  by  any  Synod.  Dr. 
Bausman  heartily  approved  of  this  method.  If  any  one  suggested 
a  change  he  would  beg  that  they  be  let  alone  in  their  good  work. 
No  one  ever  questioned  the  Home's  loyalty  to  the  Church  in 
every  way.  It  was  absolutely  non-partisan  and  he  on  one  oc- 
casion spoke  with  no  little  satisfaction  of  its  being  "the  only  in- 
stitution of  the  Church  which  unites  every  ecclesiastical  ten- 
dency in  its  support." 

The  Board  constituted  thus  would  prove  the  more  efficient 
in  every  way,  and  Dr.  Bausman's  attitude  in  this,  as  we  have 
seen,  was  similar  to  that  in  other  enterprises  in  which  he  was  in 
a  position  to  exercise  the  controlling  influence.  The  Hausjreund 
was  altogether  in  his  hand  and  was  what  he  made  it.  The  com- 
mittee of  Synod  was  largely  a  nominal  and  subordinate  affair. 
Thus  in  Hausjreund,  as  on  the  Orphans'  Home  Board,  he  had 
around  him  a  group  of  persons  who  were  one  with  him  in  what 
he  attempted  to  accomplish.  So  too,  in  founding  Sunday-schools 
and  churches  in  Reading,  he  did  not  wait  to  have  his  Consistory 
or  Classis  decide  first  to  do  these  things.  With  a  few  sympathetic 
persons  around  him,  he  established  a  Sunday-school,  built  a 
church,  called  a  pastor,  organized  a  congregation  and  then  there 
could  be  none  to  object  and  falter,  when  the  good  deed  was  done. 

A  member  of  the  present  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Home 
speaks  of  Dr.  Bausman  as  being  like  a  great  general,  prudent, 
far-sighted  and  of  sound  judgment,  yet  never  leading  arbitrarily, 
but  commanding  by  kindly  suggestion,  sympathy  and  wisdom. 
He  never  showed  the  slightest  hint  of  domineering;  he  made  all 
feel  that  his  purpose  was  so  pure  and  true  that  the  Board  were 
invariably  a  unit  with  him  in  what  they  did.  He  said  in  the 
Messenger,  August,  1900:  "The  Board  of  Managers  and  the 
Ladies'  Committee  are  in  touch  with  the  warm  heart  of 
the  Church.  It  is  said,  'Corporations  have  no  souls,'  Bethany 
has  a  living,  loving  soul."  The  Board  reports  annually  to  the 
Synod  and  triennially  to  the  General  Synod. 

It  is  not  our  function  here  to  give  the  history  of  Bethany 
Orphans'  Home.  That  has  been  well  done  in  detail  in  the  books 
written  by  Superintendents  Yundt  and  More,  but  throughout 


294  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

from  the  second  year  of  the  history,  Dr.  Bausman's  name  is 
identified  with  every  forward  movement  of  the  institution.  Mr 
More's  book  appeared  two  years  before  his  death  and  he  says 
in  this  volume  that  Dr.  Bausman  "all  this  time  had  the  best 
interests  of  the  Home  and  its  inmates  at  heart,  and  in  this  ca 
pacity  did  much  blessed  service  for  the  Master." 

Dr.  Bausman  carried  the  sorrows  and  trials  of  the  institution 
on  his  heart  and  its  successes  brought  him  great  joy. 

In  the  earlier  years  he  would  sometimes  take  a  special  day's 
outing  with  friends  to  the  Home. 

In  the  summer  of  1871  the  indebtedness  on  the  Home's  pur- 
chase was  hquidated  and  there  was  a  "Jubilee  Anniversary/ 
and  "an  immense  crowd."  Two  years  thereafter  more  land  was 
purchased  and  it  was  not  until  1881,  that  another  Jubilee 
celebration  could  be  held  for  being  free  from  debt.  This  obliga- 
tion had  to  be  borne  during  the  hard  times  of  the  late  seventies 
and  gave  Dr.  Bausman  not  a  little  anxiety.  In  September, 
1880,  we  see  this  recorded  in  his  diary: 

Received  a  letter  with  check  for  $500,  from  Joseph  Young  of 
Allentown,  to  make  up  what  we  still  need  to  pay  our  debt  of 
$4,000  on  the  Orphans'  Home.  The  blessed  surprise  set  me  to 
weeping  for  some  time.  I  went  alone  in  a  room  and  with  sob- 
bing, on  my  knees,  thanked  God  for  His  great  mercy. 

An  unwarranted  attack  on  the  Home  made  him  "feel  intensely 
sad  and  depressed." 

On  the  11th  of  November,  1881,  he  received  a  telegram  from 
Superintendent  D.  B.  Albright:  "Our  home  burned  down  soon 
after  midnight.  Children  all  safe.  Bring  up  Executive  Com- 
mittee." He  wrote  in  the  evening:  "Great  excitement.  Great 
shock  to  me  at  first.  A  gush  of  tears  relieved  me.  The  Lord 
is  our  help." 

He  proceeded  at  once  to  Womelsdorf  and  was  joined  there  in 
the  afternoon  by  several  of  the  Board  of  Managers  to  make  tem- 
porary provision  for  the  orphans.  He  wrote  for  the  next  issue 
of  the  Messenger,  to  be  published  in  a  few  days,  that  he  did  not 
wish  to  anticipate  the  action  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  but,  he 
went  on: 


BETHANY  ORPHANS'  HOME  295 

I  take  the  liberty  to  say  that  we  will  begin  the  erection  of  the 
new  building  as  soon  as  expedient.  For  this  purpose,  we  shall 
need  from  $8,000  to  $10,000  more  than  the  insurance  will  amount 
to.  The  ordinary  collections  in  congregations  are  needed  to 
meet  current  expenses.  The  bulk  of  the  building  fund  will  have 
to  be  raised  in  sums  of  from  $100  to  $1,000.  As  in  the  first  pur- 
chase of  this  property  so  now  again,  we  go  forward,  prayerfully 
trusting  for  the  necessary  help  in  God  and  in  the  good  people  in 
whose  name  and  behalf  we  act.  "We  are  perplexed,  but  not  in 
despair;  cast  down,  but  not  destroyed." 

The  full  Board  soon  met,  and  a  week  later  he  wrote  again 
in  the  Messenger: 

I  could  heartily  wish  that  all  these  dear  friends  could  have  my 
place  for  the  last  ten  days,  if  for  no  other  reason  than  to  taste 
the  sweetness  of  kindly,  practical  sympathy  in  passing  through 
such  an  ordeal.  Telegrams  and  letters  came  pouring  sympathy 
into  my  heart  and  that  of  the  Superintendent  of  the  Home. 

How  this  misfortune  was  turned  into  a  fortunate  providence, 
we  will  let  him  tell  us  on  another  page. 

The  large,  new  building  erected  in  1882  was  inadequate  for 
the  Home's  growing  needs  and  a  decade  later  Santee  Hall  was 
opened  for  the  girls.  In  the  early  months  of  1891,  Dr.  Bausman 
had  correspondence  with  Mr.  Charles  Santee  of  Philadelphia, 
in  memory  of  whose  son  Joseph  the  Hall  was  named,  and  was 
privileged  to  surprise  the  Board  at  their  second  quarterly  meet- 
ing with  the  generous  offer.  The  check  came  in  the  latter  part 
of  February  and  regarding  the  matter  he  wrote: 

Have  for  some  time  been  corresponding  with  Charles  Santee 
about  our  proposed  new  Orphans'  Home  Building.  To-day  I 
received  his  note  for  $5,000  toward  its  erection,  which  with 
•  $2,000  he  gave  us  a  year  ago  makes  $7,000  for  this  object.  Upon 
reading  his  kind  letter,  I  knelt  down  at  my  table  and  prayed, 
weeping  for  joy.  His  letter  breathed  a  spirit  of  gratitude  to 
God.  He  even  thanked  me  for  calling  attention  to  the  matter. 
He  thanks  God  for  keeping  and  guiding  him  all  his  life,  since 
1814,  prospering  him  in  business  and  giving  him  the  disposition 
and  means  to  contribute  to  the  Lord's  cause. 

A  few  years  later,  Dr.  Bausman  could  say  at  the  dedication 
of  another  building: 


296  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

Hitherto,  our  care  for  orphans  began  at  six  years  of  age.  But 
who  cares  for  those  under  six  years?  For  the  new-born  infant, 
with  no  inheritance  but  the  prayer  of  a  dying  mother?  The 
want  of  this  left  a  gap  in  our  organization,  a  period  in  the  child 
life  unprovided  for.  God  be  praised,  to-day  we  can  open  the 
doors  of  Bethany  Orphans'  Home  to  the  babes  of  the  Church. 

This  new  building  was  the  Frick  Cottage,  the  gift  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  H.  M.  Housekeeper  in  memory  of  Mrs.  Housekeeper's  parents. 
Dr.  Bausman's  eyes  were  permitted  to  see  yet  two  more  large 
buildings  erected  on  the  Home  grounds — the  School  House  and 
the  Leinbach  Cottage. 

The  strong  hold  of  the  Home  on  the  hearts  of  the  people  is  in 
no  way  so  strikingly  evidenced  as  by  the  immense  gatherings  at 
the  Anniversaries.  These  have  become  larger  and  larger  through 
the  years.  They  were  very  small  in  the  early  days.  At  Brides- 
burg  "the  attendance  never  reached  300."  Dr.  Bausman  rarely 
missed  these  Anniversaries.  The  last  one  he  attended  was  that 
in  August,  1908,  and  how  it  impressed  him  he  expressed  in  these 
words:  "Nowhere  else  have  I  ever  seen  such  a  multitude  of 
happy,  good-natured  people  massed  together.  There  must  have 
been  15,000  or  more.     God  bless  the  dear  people." 

After  the  Anniversary  in  August,  1904,  he  published  in  the 
Reformed  Church  Record  two  delightful  articles  on  the  event 
and  on  the  many  things  touching  the  history  and  life  of  the  in- 
stitution. The  man's  heart  stands  here  revealed  in  relation  to 
the  Home  in  these 

Reveries  of  a  Veteran. 

God  be  praised,  they  are  all  safely  in  their  own  homes  again. 
These  thousands  of  Israel  that  covered  the  sheltered  and  shaded 
acres  of  Bethany  Orphans'  Home.  This  vast  entanglement  of 
man  and  beast,  parents  and  children,  of  hundreds  of  family  and 
social  groups,  the  vast  army  of  vehicles  tightly  wedged  together 
over  the  wooded  mountainside — to  separate  all  these  in  an  or- 
derly way  and  send  them  home  on  their  respective  roads  with- 
out a  single  accident  or  personal  injury  looks  very  much  like  a 
providential  mercy. 

Sometimes  one  feels  alone  in  a  great  crowd.  Seated  at  an 
elevated  corner,  I  quietly  surveyed  the  incoming  stream  for 
hours  as  they  passed  by.     Family  groups  with  their  lunch  bas- 


BETHANY  ORPHANS'  HOME  297 

kets,  and  with  chatty,  cheery  children,  all  taking  in  the  strange 
sights  with  wondering  surprise;  the  cordial  greetings  of  friends 
who  usually  meet  but  once  a  year  on  their  visit  to  these  grounds; 
professors,  pastors,  missionaries  from  the  home  and  foreign  fields 
— all  these  I  thoughtfully  watched  from  my  quiet  corner.  I 
knew  what  some  of  them  had  endured  and  done  for  our  Savior 
and  for  souls,  and  devoutly  rejoiced  that  they  seemed  to  have  a 
happy  time  here. 

The  limpid  water  of  the  great  spring  keeps  boiling  up  through 
the  white  sand,  as  it  has  most  likelj^  been  doing  for  a  thousand 
years  past.  Around  it  the  crowd  is  all  the  while  surging,  filling 
their  cups  from  numerous  jetting  little  fountains,  to  the  great 
enjoyment  of  all.  And  all  this  under  the  large  limbs  of  great 
overhanging  trees  making  a  picture  delightful  to  behold. 
Around  and  beyond  this  moving  mass  are  lawns,  fields  and  or- 
chards that  minister  to  the  large  family. 

Do  any  of  these  people  ever  think  what  it  cost  to  make  and 
keep  this  place  what  it  is?  Yonder  walks  a  thoughtful-looking 
lady,  tastefully  dressed.  Forty-one  years  ago  she  was  one  of 
the  small  group  of  little  children  that  wept  around  the  open 
graves  of  their  parents.  Rev.  E.  Boehringer  and  his  wife.  Al- 
though personally  known  to  a  very  few  people  in  this  great  crowd, 
she  doubtless  feels  thankful  that  out  of  the  small  beginning  in 
her  father's  house  many  years  ago  this  Home,  which  to-day  re- 
ceives this  great  crowd  into  its  shelter  and  shade,  has  grown. 
She  was  a  playmate  of  the  first  two  orphans  received  into  the 
Boehringer  family  in  the  long  ago. 

There  comes  Rev.  Henry  Hilbish  with  a  little  lunch  box  in  his 
hand.  For  years  he  has  rarely  missed  an  Anniversary.  His 
gray  hair  and  somewhat  bent  form  show  marks  of  increasing  age. 
Little  did  I  think  then  that  the  following  night  his  busy,  useful 
life  would  end  in  the  home  of  his  daughter  in  Jonestown,  Pa. 
A  saintly  English  writer  says  that  the  grave  is  a  wayside  inn  on 
our  pilgrimage  to  Jerusalem.  Our  departed  Brother  Hilbish 
enjoyed  the  last  restful  pause  in  his  busy  life  at  this  Home  of  the 
fatherless,  and  then  entered  the  home  above. 

My  reveries  run  back  to  the  people,  living  and  dead,  who  did 
much  to  make  this  day  possible.  Drs.  J.  Gantenbein  and  J. 
Kiilling,  two  of  the  founders  and  members  of  the  first  Board  of 
Managers,  are  still  living.  The  former  was  its  second  Superin- 
tendent. Rev.  D.  B.  Albright,  who  with  his  great  bodily  strength 
wrought  wonders  in  clearing  the  untilled  fields  of  rocks  and  the 
stumps  of  giant  trees.  He  and  Dr.  D.  Y.  Heisler  constructed  a 
network  of  underground  dykes  for  drainage  and  cleared  the 
fields  of  briers  and  underbrush.     Much  of  their  hard  work  was 


298  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

preparatory  to  that  of  Brother  Yundt.  What  he  and  his  wife 
have  accompHshed  has  been  reported  elsewhere. 

Few  of  these  thousands  have  any  idea  how  much  unsalaried 
work  is  done  here  to-day  by  happy  men  and  women,  in  the 
kitchen,  dining-rooms,  at  the  different  counters  and  in  the  ba- 
zaar. Neither  do  they  know  that  a  large  part  of  the  beautiful 
goods  sold  was  made  by  the  deft  hands  of  the  larger  orphan  girls. 
They  know  not  how  much  prayerful  teaching  and  training  was 
needed  to  transform  the  sad,  homeless  tots  brought  to  us  years 
ago  into  bright,  well-behaved  lads  and  lassies;  how  that  many  of 
them  can  cite  more  Bible  passages  accurately  from  memory  than 
any  visitor  on  these  grounds  to-day,  not  excepting  the  clergymen; 
how  that  all  the  older  orphans,  without  any  urging,  at  their  own 
request,  have  been  confirmed — some  of  them  shedding  tears  of 
gratitude  during  the  confirmation  services.  Of  these  and  of 
many  other  things  the  unnoticed  veteran  thinks  in  his  little 
corner  on  the  porch. 

His  next  corner  is  on  a  backless  board-bench  on  the  packed 
platform  in  the  grove.  These  reveries  show  a  singular  mental 
mood.  The  sight  of  the  uncounted  thousands  of  faces  before 
me  awakens  memories  of  other  days.  All  eyes  rest  on  the  bright, 
happy  and  tidy-looking  orphans  on  their  elevated  seats.  Few 
of  them  can  fully  comprehend  how  much  these  owe  to  the  gifts, 
prayers  and  work  of  the  visiting  guests  of  the  Home. 

Twelve  larger  girls  sang  the  "Star  Spangled  Banner,"  with 
postures.  Folded  in  the  colors  of  the  flag,  they  rendered  it  with 
grace  and  beautiful  expression,  while  the  company  of  "Home 
Guards, "  in  martial  uniform  and  armed  to  the  teeth  with  wooden 
guns,  gallantly  stood  guard  back  of  them  under  the  command 
of  their  efficient  captain.  Again  the  girls  come  before  us,  with 
stately  step,  and  perform  the  Japanese  fan  drill.  Robed  in 
Japanese  style,  each  bore  a  large  fan  in  her  hand.  Their  grace 
of  posture  and  movement  in  the  difficult  parts  of  the  drill  seemed 
greatly  to  please  an  educated  Japanese  brother  on  the  seat  in 
front  of  me.  His  face,  naturally  thoughtful  and  sad,  now  and 
then  beamed  with  a  smile  of  joyful  approval  as  he  witnessed  this 
recognition  of  his  bleeding  country. 

These  ladies  giving  pleasure  to  the  vast  multitude  are  the 
fruit  of  our  work  in  the  Home,  Years  ago  they  were  brought  to 
us  as  homeless  little  children,  their  sad  hearts  reaching  out  for 
someone  to  love  them.  Their  natural  parents  dead,  or  worse 
than  dead,  they  found  those  who  more  than  took  their  places. 
As  the  years  rolled  by  they  grew  in  wisdom  and  stature  and  in 
favor  with  God  and  man.  Through  the  atmosphere,  pure  water, 
healthy  food,  instruction  and  training,  and,  above  all,  through  the 


BETHANY  ORPHANS'  HOME  299 

providence  of  God,  from  those  dependent  little  beings  grew  these 
Christian  young  women  whom  you  this  day  see  before  you.  It 
required  years  of  work  and  patient  waiting.  If  it  is  true  that  one 
redeemed  soul  with  a  Christful  character  is  of  more  value  than 
millions  of  silver  and  gold,  tell  me — what  is  the  value  of  these 
twelve  young  ladies?  Does  it  pay,  this  work  of  Bethany  Or- 
phans' Home?  Beautiful  are  our  fields,  mountain  forests  and 
our  flowing  fountains,  above  all  beautiful  because  they  help  us 
to  train  and  transform  dependent,  homeless  children  into 
Christian  men  and  women,  and  fit  them  for  lives  of  beauty  and 
for  crowns  of  glory. 

A  change  of  administration  usually  is  unsettling.  It  disturbs 
the  existing  order  of  things.  Bethany  Home  seems  to  form  an 
exception,  thanks  to  the  beautiful  spirit  of  the  small  groups 
which  are  the  principal  actors  in  the  transition.  This,  too,  sets 
a  veteran  into  a  musing  mood,  as  his  eye  follows  the  movements 
of  the  two  brethren  most  concerned.  To  each  this  Anniversary 
is  a  peculiarly  serious  matter.  To  the  retiring  Superintendent 
and  his  wife  it  means  more  than  this  crowd  can  comprehend. 
Their  lives  have  taken  root  in  the  lives  of  the  orphans,  for  whom 
they  lovingly  labored  and  lived.  Their  hearts  are  mutually  en- 
twined, their  affections  are  vitally  interwoven.  Whilst  duty 
calls  them  to  another  sphere  of  labor,  they  fondly  linger  amid  the 
scenes  and  souls  endeared  to  them  by  many  precious  memories. 
With  kindly  sympathy  I  watch  their  thoughtful  faces.  The 
struggle  through  which  they  have  reached  their  present  peace  of 
mind  is  known  only  to  them  and  the  all-knowing  Father.  They 
came  to  us  a  happy,  childless  couple.  They  leave  us  with  three 
children,  a  home  circle  of  their  own.  Four  there  were.  One  is 
in  heaven;  a  sweet  boy  baby  the  Lord  took  to  His  ideal  home. 
This  was  their  first  great  sorrow.  Great  as  was  their  grief,  God 
doubtless  meant  it  kindly.  "That  lady  needs  but  one  thing 
more  to  perfect  her  singing,"  said  a  great  composer,  as  he  listened 
to  a  noted  singer.  "What  is  that?"  asked  a  friend.  "She  needs 
a  great  sorrow  to  give  mellowness  and  a  deeper  soul-pathos  to 
her  voice."  I  have  sometimes  thought  that  perhaps  the  death 
of  their  child,  under  God,  gave  a  certain  quality  to  their  hearts, 
which  helped  them  to  take  the  place  of  parents  to  our  fatherless 
family;  a  long-suffering  tenderness  that  natural  parents  rarely 
show  save  toward  their  own  children. 

The  new  Superintendent  and  his  wife,  seen  from  my  quiet  seat, 
are  an  equally  interesting  study.  It  is  no  light  matter  to  ex- 
change a  beautiful  home,  where  with  their  little  family  group 
they  enjoyed  the  undisturbed  privacy  of  their  fireside,  for  this 
larger  flock  with  its  more  public  and  perplexing  responsibilities. 


300  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

Not  with  a  half-willing  sense  of  duty,  but  with  hopeful  gratitude 
they  enter  upon  their  new  calling.  Already  they  have  won  the 
trustful  affection  of  the  large  family. 

Again  the  veteran  takes  his  corner  on  the  second  story  of  the 
school  building.  The  large  room  is  packed  with  former  irmiates 
of  the  Home.  It  is  a  reunion  of  the  clan,  as  some  would  call  it. 
I  asked  a  plump,  nicely  dressed  boy  near  me,  who  had  a  Home 
souvenir  button  on  his  coat  lapel:  "Are  you  one  of  our 
orphans?"  "No,  but  my  father  was.  Over  there  he  sits." 
There  he  sat,  a  middle-aged  man.  I  see  quite  a  number  of 
family  groups  before  me,  whose  parents  came  to  us  as  sad,  home- 
less children,  and  were  here  trained  into  good  men  and  women. 

Here  are  young  people  who  were  in  that  fugitive  midnight 
procession  of  23  years  ago.  It  was  on  November  11,  1881.  A 
few  toots  of  Mr.  Albright's  whistle  brought  all  into  an  orderly 
procession  in  the  smoke-filled  passage  way.  Thence  the  terrified 
orphans  were  hastened  across  the  fields  to  the  old  mill  and  the 
farm  house  for  shelter.  Was  there  ever  a  more  pathetic  scene 
than  that  frightened  flock  of  orphans  fleeing  from  their  burning 
Home!  Not  without  pauses  in  their  flight  as  they  watched  the 
lurid  flames  that  rose  like  a  pillar  of  fire  against  the  dimly-seen 
background  of  the  mountains.  In  a  short  time  the  building  was 
in  ashes:  their  play  rooms,  school  and  dining  rooms,  their  cozy 
beds  just  left — all  a  heap  of  smoking  ruins.  On  their  improvised 
beds  they  vainly  sought  sleep  until  the  dawn  of  day. 

In  a  very  real  sense  what  was  considered  a  calamity  became  a 
blessing — "a  pillar  of  fire  by  night,"  leading  the  Home  into  a 
more  commodious  and  substantial  building.  It  startled  and 
stirred  the  Church  in  the  East  to  its  heart's  core.  It  is  said  that 
during  the  fiercest  part  of  a  battle  in  the  Crimean  War  a  shell 
struck  a  black,  barren  mountain  side.  By  tearing  a  hole  in  the 
earth  it  uncovered  a  subterranean  spring.  Thereafter  a  foun- 
tain of  fresh  water  flowed  down  the  mountain  side,  refreshing 
man  and  beast,  and  giving  fertility  to  fields  where  no  crops  had 
previously  grown.  Out  of  the  ashes  of  our  building  arose  a  far 
better  structure.  It  gave  the  institution  a  new  start,  and  raised 
it  to  a  higher  plane  of  prosperity.  The  essential  life  of  an  or- 
phans' home  consists  not  in  its  fine  and  well  equipped  buildings, 
but  in  the  fife  and  genius  of  the  people  that  bear  it  on  their  hearts. 

Dr.  Schick,  of  Washington,  D.  C.,  very  fittingly  presided  over 
this  meeting,  for  before  any  orphans'  home  was  thought  of,  he 
was  a  member  of  Rev.  E.  Boehringer's  mission  Sunday-school 
in  Richmond,  Va.  By  him  he  was  confirmed  as  the  only  cate- 
chumen of  the  mission.  Although  not  an  orphan,  he  received 
his  religious  instruction  from  the  now  sainted  founder  of  our 


BETHANY  ORPHANS'  HOME  301 

Home.  His  reminiscences  were  a  page  of  the  prehistoric  life 
of  the  Home.  When  the  Civil  War  began,  he  with  his  pastor  and 
his  parents  fled  to  the  North.  A  letter  was  read  from  one  of 
the  former  boys,  now  a  wealthy  ranchman  in  Cuba,  brim  full  of 
kind  and  grateful  memories.  A  well  known  lawyer,  with  a  lu- 
crative practice,  with  his  boy  at  his  side,  told  us  what  he  owed  to 
this  Home,  and  that  he  wished  it  known  that  he  was  not  ashamed 
to  have  laid  the  foundation  of  his  habits  and  character  as  an 
inmate  of  Bethany  Orphans'  Home.  A  Philadelphia  lady,  who 
left  us  years  ago,  sang  a  solo.  The  pastor  of  a  large  city  congre- 
gation, a  former  teacher,  paid  a  beautiful  tribute  to  the  benefit 
he  received  from  the  influence  of  the  Home.  Here  he  had  learned 
to  study  and  understand  his  English  Bible  as  he  had  never  learned 
it  in  any  college  or  seminary;  that  he  doubted  whether  there 
were  any  pastors  of  our  Church  who  could  locate  and  recite  from 
memory  so  large  a  part  of  the  Bible  as  some  of  the  orphans  did 
in  his  day.  Another  former  teacher,  now  a  professor  in  one  of 
our  colleges,  related  similar  benefits  he  received  from  the  Bible 
instruction  of  the  retiring  Superintendent.  Such  as  these  were 
the  grateful  tributes  paid  to  the  retiring  Superintendent  and  his 
wife. 

I  knew  these  bright-looking  parents  when  they  themselves 
were  little  children,  destitute  of  parental  care.  It  may  have 
been  a  meagre  substitute  for  natural  parents  which  we  could 
furnish.  Under  God  we  gave  them  the  best  we  had.  Now,  as 
they  themselves  come  to  us  as  parents,  as  types  of  godly  heads 
of  families,  is  it  a  wonder  that  the  sight  stirs  the  heart  of  a  vet- 
eran to  reminiscent  reveries?  The  highest  mission  of  an  or- 
phans' home  is  to  train  its  inmates  to  habits  of  purity  and  love; 
to  train  them  to  become  founders  of  such  homes  as  were  denied 
them  in  their  childhood. 

"You  train  scholars  here?"  said  a  visitor  to  the  head  master 
of  the  Rugby  Boys'  School  in  England.  "No,  sir,  we  train 
MEN  here,"  was  the  reply. 

Would  that  the  many  kind  people  who  have  helped  to  make 
Bethany  Orphans'  Home  what  it  is  could  have  witnessed  this 
reunion.  We  would  like  them  to  see  the  fruit  of  their  sowing  in 
these  men  and  women  who  once  belonged  to  our  large  family. 
Not  all  become  people  of  conspicuous  usefulness,  but  we  are  striv- 
ing chiefly  and  first  of  all  to  make  good  men  and  good  women, 
fitted  for  whatever  sphere  Providence  may  assign  them.  May  the 
Father  of  the  fatherless  direct  and  prosper  our  work  in  the  fu- 
ture. 

The  concern  Dr.  Bausman  had  for  smallest  details  and  the 
fine  appreciation  he  felt  for  all  who  in  any  way  contributed  to  the 


302  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

work  at  Bethany  is  shown  in  the  succeeding  letters  which  fol- 
lowed anniversary  occasions: 

The  Preston  Resort  on  the  Mountain. 

Wernersville,  Pa.,  (8  A  M.)  August  22,  1902. 

My  Dear  Brother  Y.  : 

Have  just  tried  to  call  you  upon  the  'phone.  May  do  it  later 
in  the  day,  would  like  to  learn  a  few  particulars.  Can  ascertain 
hereafter.     A  few  things  are  on  my  heart  this  morning. 

First:  We  both  have  been  thinking  and  praying  our  praises 
to  God  for  yesterday — for  the  weather,  the  large  attendance,  the 
good  order,  for  protection  against  accidents,  for  the  privilege  of 
giving  our  school  building  to  God,  and  the  great  uses  to  be  made 
of  it;  and  for  many  other  things  we  cannot  sufficiently  thank 
God. 

Second:  Our  hearts  are  still  full  of  joyful  praise  to  God  and  to 
you  and  your  dear,  hard-working  people  who  prepared  and  ren- 
dered the  excellent  program.  Of  course,  we  all  know  that  you 
and  Mrs.  Yundt  have  designed  and  matured  the  whole.  Do  not 
forget,  my  dear  brother,  that  the  multitudinous  friends  of  the 
Home  present  and  absent  have  a  grateful  and  appreciative  sense 
of  what  is  due  to  you  and  your  dear  wife.  I  regard  yesterday's 
program  and  the  way  it  was  rendered  among  the  best  we  have 
ever  had.  I  have  a  request  to  make.  Please  state  to  all  the 
inmates  of  the  Home  in  the  chapel  services,  for  me  personally 
and  for  the  two  Boards,  that  we  thank  all  that  have  worked  so 
hard  and  well  to  make  yesterday  such  a  delightful  success.  If 
I  could  do  this  myself,  I  would,  of  course,  put  you  and  Mrs. 
Yundt  at  the  head  of  the  list,  then  Miss  Dechant,  the  teachers, 
the  farmer,  the  people  in  the  kitchen,  and  the  children.  Do  not 
forget  them,  the  dear  souls  must  have  worked  hard  to  render 
such  charming  results.  From  the  little  tots  to  the  physical 
culture  exercises — everything  was  to  most  people  a  delightful 
revelation.  The  two  Boards  want  the  children  and  all  who 
with  loving  hearts  toil  for  their  good,  to  know  that  we  appreciate 
their  noble  endeavors. 

In  sending  reports  to  different  persons,  please  do  not  forget 
Mr.  Evans  of  Niagara. 

Perhaps  in  your  article  for  the  paper  you  might  say  that  eleven 
of  the  thirteen  Board  members  were  present. 

Ought  not  our  Superintendent  send  a  few  lines  of  thanks  to 
Mr.  George  Wagner,  in  the  name  of  the  Board?  We  ought  to 
perform  this  little  courtesy  to  our  annual  speakers,  but  rarely, 
perhaps  never  have  done  it. 

9  A.  M.     Have  just  chatted  with  you  over    the  'phone.     Yes- 


THE  OFFICERS  OF   BETHANY  ORPHANS'   HOME 


CHRISTIAN   G.  GROSS 


DR.   BAUSMAN 

AT   75 


REV.  THOS.   M.  YUNDT 


BETHANY  ORPHANS'  HOME  303 

terday,  like  some  other  things  connected  with  the  Home,  seems 
almost  like  a  miracle.  The  clearing  of  the  heavens,  the  at- 
tendance, receipts,  etc.,  etc.,  are  wonderful.  We  are  both  re- 
lieved to  hear  that  Mrs.  Yundt  is  comfortable  and  happy. 

We  both  slept  off  our  fatigue  of  yesterday — seven  hours  in  one 
stretch.  Some  ten  or  twelve  of  our  hotel  guests  were  at  the 
Home  yesterday. 

Many  feel  a  personal  concern  for  its  success.  Dear  Rhoda 
Smith,  who  gave  us  the  $10  last  year  and  this  year,  says  she 
often  had  prayerful  thoughts  during  the  day  that  it  might  not 
rain.     But  enough. 

Yours  happily, 

B.  Bausman. 

Wernersville,  September  4,  1905. 
My  Dear  Brother  More: 

I  sincerely  congratulate  you  and  Mrs.  More  in  the  successful 
handling  of  our  late  Anniversary.  Few  people  who  enjoyed  the 
feast  have  any  idea  what  a  long  ordeal  of  planning  and  patient 
toil  it  cost  to  prepare  it.  And  I  fear  few  have  expressed  to  you 
both,  their  cordial  appreciation  of  your  excellent  services.  Please 
tell  Mr.  Miller  for  myself  and  for  the  Board  that  we  highly  appre- 
ciate his  all-around  services  in  the  vast  preparation  and  handling 
of  the  Anniversary.  We  cannot  sufficiently  thank  God  for  the 
pleasant  weather,  and  for  His  protecting  care  over  the  vast  multi- 
tude of  people  who  came  from  near  and  afar,  without  a  single 
accident.  I  have  often  had  my  fears,  that  amid  our  jcyful 
gratification  over  great  results,  we  have  given  too  little  glory 
to  God  and  indulged  too  much  in  denominational,  boastful 
self-glorification.     To  God  be  all  the  glory. 

Yours  very  truly, 

B.  Bausman. 

With  the  destruction  of  the  Home  by  fire  in  1881,  the  minutes 
and  records  thereof  were  destroyed.  A  few  months  thereafter 
Dr.  Bausman  busied  himself  for  days  running  through  files  of 
the  Messenger  helping  to  recover  facts  and  data.  The  Rev.  T. 
M.  Yundt  became  Superintendent  in  1886  and  a  few  years  there- 
after prepared  the  little  volume  on  the  "History  of  the  Home." 
Dr.  Bausman  was  in  a  position  to  be  of  great  help  to  him.  So 
likewise,  he  assisted  Superintendent  More  in  the  preparation  of 
the  last  edition  of  the  "History"  which  was  published  about 
two  years  before  his  death.  He  was  very  eager  to  have  the  ac- 
count brought  down  to  date.     When  the  matter  was  discussed 


304  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

in  the  early  months  of  1906,  Mr.  More  suggested  the  fitness  of 
having  it  pubUshed  in  connection  with  the  50th  anniversary. 
With  manifest  regret  he  rephed,  "I'll  not  live  then  to  see  it." 

The  following  excerpts  from  letters  to  Mr.  More  give  hints 
of  his  help,  the  spirit  in  which  it  was  given  and  what  pleasure 
the  tastefully  printed  volume  afforded  him: 

Try  and  find  a  copy  of  the  picture  of  Christ  blessing  Uttle 
children  as  a  frontispiece  in  the  new  book. 

I  am  still  of  the  opinion  that  steel  engraved  pictures  of  the 
Superintendents  ought  to  be  put  into  the  new  history. 

Whilst  I  do  not  wish  to  have  my  recollections  of  the  Home, 
from  its  beginning,  to  be  accepted  as  authentic  history,  if  any 
of  the  incidents  I  related  to  you  can  be  of  any  service  in  revising 
the  old  edition,  and  bringing  it  down  to  the  present,  you  are  at 
liberty  to  dispose  of  my  talk  as  you  see  proper  without  men- 
tioning my  name.  Only  do  not  regard  this  explanation  in  the 
sense  that  I  am  dictating  to  you  and  the  Board.  Sometimes 
my  zeal  gets  the  better  of  my  discretion. 

Many  thanks  for  a  copy  of  your  History,  It  looks  well,  reads 
well,  is  accurate  and  full  in  its  narrative,  clear  and  lucid  in  style 
— a  credit  to  its  author  and  I  am  sure  will  be  highly  pleasing  to 
the  Board.  You  have  rendered  a  valuable  service  to  the  Board 
and  one  which  will  be  greatly  appreciated  by  its  many  friends. 
You  are  fortunate  to  have  it  ready  for  distribution  on  Annivers- 
ary day. 

In  the  preface  to  the  fortieth  annual  report  of  the  Home  Dr. 
Bausman  said: 

It  is  a  blessed  privilege  to  be  in  touch  with  the  current  life  of 
such  an  orphanage;  to  bear  it  upon  one's  heart,  to  help  it  with 
one's  prayers,  and  to  breathe  its  breezy,  bracing  atmosphere. 
It  helps  to  keep  one  young  and  spiritually  vigorous. 

In  his  beautiful  Christmas  Letter,  1906,  which  constitutes  a 
Chapter  in  Superintendent  More's  "History"  he  said:  "For 
forty  years  I  have  lived  much  of  my  life  into  it.  This  I  deem 
one  of  the  greatest  blessings  of  my  life,  I  think  it  made  me  a 
better  man.     It  gave  me  more  than  it  ever  got  from  me." 

Christmas  letters  were  sent  quite  often  to  the  children  and  here 
is  one  accompanying  a  letter  to  the  Superintendent: 


BETHANY  ORPHANS'  HOME  305 

Reading,  December  24,  1903. 
My  Dear  Brother  Yundt: 

That  cold,  shabby  postal  card  I  wrote  to  you  yesterday, 
troubled  and  chided  me  last  night  in  bed.  For  a  Christmas 
greeting,  it  makes  me  feel  ashamed  of  myself. 

Enclosed  find  a  greeting,  which  please  read  at  your  chapel 
services  to-morrow. 

In  addition  to  that,  let  me  assure  you  and  Mrs.  Yundt  of  the 
high  appreciation  we  personally  and  both  sections  of  our  Board 
have  for  your  beautiful  and  valuable  service  to  the  Home.  You 
cannot  fully  know  what  a  rich  service  you  both  are  rendering  to 
the  cause  of  Christ,  in  this  branch  of  Christian  beneficence. 
The  unstinted  kindness  which  you  lavish  upon  the  homeless  is 
felt  and  reciprocated  by  multitudes  throughout  the  Church. 

I  am  glad  to  speak  these  words  of  good  cheer,  amid  the  music 
around  the  homeless  babe  in  Bethlehem.     Let  us  kindly  tell 
each  other  the  deserved  words  of  "Well  done,"  before  the  loving 
Father  will  take  us  to  His  everlasting  home  in  heaven. 
Your  loving  brother  in  Christ, 

B.  Bausman. 

Reading,  December  24,  1903. 
My  Dear  Brother  Yundt: 

Personally,  and  in  the  name  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  our 
dear  Home,  I  herewith  wish  the  whole  Bethany  family  a  Merrie 
Christmas.  May  our  ever-living,  ever-present  Father  richly 
bless  every  one  of  the  orphans  with  our  Saviour's  Spirit  of  peace, 
purity  and  ever-enduring  happiness;  may  He  bless  all  that  serve 
and  help  to  care  for  the  large  family  with  the  reward  promised  to 
those  who  in  His  Spirit  and  name  minister  to  His  children.  May 
He  abundantly  bless  with  His  choicest  gifts  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Yundt, 
to  whom  God  has  assigned  the  difficult  office  of  a  natural  father 
and  mother  to  so  many  young  people  and  who  with  tender  af- 
fection, bear  upon  their  hearts  the  molding  and  training  of  so 
many  lives. 

Our  prayer  is  that  we,  and  all  that  we  gather  in  our 
dear  Mountain  Home,  may  at  last  be  gathered  into  the  home 
in  our  Father's  house  on  high. 

Your  loving,  grateful  friend, 

B.  Bausman. 

Mrs.  Yundt  writes  of  Dr.  Bausman's  relation  to  the  Home: 

He  was  always  ready  to  help  by  word  and  action  and  showed 
more  than  a  friendly  interest;  it  was  more  like  a  fatherly  interest 
and  we  gave  to  him  the  affection  a  child  has  for  his  father.     His 
20 


306  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

aim  seemed  to  be  to  make  Bethany  less  like  an  institution  and 
more  like  a  true  home  to  fatherless  children;  and  he  listened 
with  deepest  attention  and  warmest  sympathy  to  the  life  histories 
of  our  Bethany  children  and  the  every-day  happenings  at  the 
same.  Amusing  incidents  brought  forth  hearty  laughter  and 
pathetic  occurrences  brought  tears  to  his  eyes. 

He  spoke  to  the  orphans  often  in  their  chapel  meetings.  His 
addresses  were  very  happy  and  much  enjoyed  by  the  children. 
He  often  spoke  to  boys  and  girls  personally  and  laid  his  hand  on 
their  heads.  These  little  attentions  to  them  were  remembered 
and  treasured  as  paternal  blessings. 

Members  of  the  Board  of  Managers  speak  of  the  atmosphere 
of  deep  religious  seriousness  which  pervaded  their  meetings  and 
deliberations  because  of  Dr.  Bausman's  presence.  This  by  no 
means  forbade,  but  was  altogether  in  harmony  with  the  free  ut- 
terance of  pleasantries.  However,  there  was  nothing  of  patron- 
izing humanitarianism  in  this  care  of  the  fatherless,  but  a  clear 
recognition  that  rendering  a  service  unto  these,  Christ's  least, 
they  were  rendering  it  unto  Him.  The  Home  has  never  been 
able  to  care  for  all  orphans  applying  for  admission.  Its  inabihty 
to  receive  some  who  were  most  worthy  and  whose  needs  were 
great  often  brought  tears  to  his  eyes. 

Dr.  Bausman  gave  constantly  of  his  means  to  the  Home.  In 
pressing  crises  he  gave  large  amounts  and  bequeathed  to  it  in 
his  will  $1,000.  He  trained  his  own  congregation  to  give  gen- 
erously to  this  object.  There  are  casual  notes  of  this  in  his  diary. 
As  early  as  1865  stands  the  record  of  three  children  giving 
25  cents  a  month  for  the  orphans  and  a  few  years  later  an  offer- 
ing of  the  catechumens  confirmed  on  Good  Friday  amomited  to 
$150.  St.  Paul's  Christmas  offering  for  the  orphans  is  always 
several  hundred  dollars. 

As  early  as  1873,  in  pleading  for  the  Home,  he  averred  that 

There  is  no  benevolent  enterprise  in  the  Church  where  every 
penny  is  made  to  tell  so  effectively  for  good  as  here.  There  is 
nothing  wasted.  Every  stone  and  stump,  stick  and  shred  are 
turned  to  some  practical  end. 

The  steady,  free-will  support  of  the  Church  is  due  in  no  small 
measure  to  this  economy  and  wisdom  in  management.     No  ap- 


BETHANY  ORPHANS'  HOME  307 

portionments  are  laid  for  it,  nor  has  it  been  the  policy  of  the 
institution  to  buttress  itself  in  a  great  endowment.  The  Home 
lives  by  its  direct  and  constant  support  from  the  people  which 
falls  like  daily  manna  for  its  needs.  Nay,  to  quote  more  from 
the  wonderful  Christmas  letter  of  1906: 

God  is  the  Father  of  the  fatherless.  Bethany  belongs  to 
Him.  He  is  providing  for  it,  every  day  and  hour.  He  tells 
many  people  to  send  boxes  filled  with  nice  things  at  Christmas, 
and  to  put  the  needed  money  in  our  treasury.  And  we  always 
have  enough  of  it. 

Regarding  the  gathering  of  "a  large  surplus  fund"  Dr.  Baus- 
man  wrote  to  Mr.  More  in  1906: 

I  still  beheve  that  from  a  Home  like  ours  the  Church  gets 
more  than  it  gives.  It  appeals  to  the  heart  of  its  people  as 
none  of  its  other  agencies  of  benevolence  does.  This  appeal 
ought  not  be  diminished  by  heaping  up  a  vast  pecuniary  treas- 
ure. 

The  following  beautiful  letters  to  Mr.  Yundt  in  his  last  illness, 
to  Mrs.  Yundt  after  his  death,  to  Mr.  More  in  response  to  a 
birthday  greeting  and  again  on  the  twenty-fifth  wedding  an- 
niversary of  the  Superintendent  and  his  wife,  show  his  warm 
and  tender  friendship  for  the  leaders  at  Bethany: 

Reading,  March  22,  1907. 
My  Dear  Brother  Yundt: 

I  am  sorry  that  you  are  sick.  Indeed,  it  was  a  great  surprise 
to  hear  of  it.  I  have  no  doubt  it  is  the  result  of  overwork.  The 
most  robust  health  has  its  limitations.  Perhaps  it  is  well  that 
this  is  the  case.  Otherwise  worse  evils  might  happen  to  us. 
Kipling's  "Lest  we  forget,  lest  we  forget,"  expresses  an  important 
truth.  Such  enforced  pauses  in  our  busy  life  have  their  bless- 
ings. Some  years  ago  Dr.  Bromley,  then  pastor  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  of  this  city,  broke  a  leg  in  a  trolley  accident. 
He  said  it  was  a  fortunate  thing  for  him.  His  imprudence  in 
overtaxing  his  strength  by  overwork  had  brought  him  to  the 
verge  of  a  serious,  perhaps  a  fatal  collapse.  A  temporary  ces- 
sation of  work  enabled  him  to  prevent  this.  I  suppose  you  have 
been  working  harder  than  you  knew.  Sometimes,  perhaps 
under  unhealthy  conditions.  Try  to  accept  the  situation  with  a 
thankful  heart,  notably  because  "v/hom  the  Lord  loveth  He 
chasteneth."     I  hope  you  will  not  consider  me   one  of  "Job's 


308  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN    ' 

comforters. "  Possibly  your  affliction  may  help  to  relieve  your 
system  of  some  ailments  of  long  standing,  and  give  you  a  more 
sound  and  normal  health. 

There,  you  have  not  a  hard-hearted  lecture,  but  the  well-in- 
tended advice  of  one  who  never  planted  a  thorn  into  your  pillow. 

I  pray  that  the  Lord  may  soon  restore  you  to  perfect  health. 
Meanwhile — well,  the  rest  you  know. 

Will  this  prevent  you  from  enjoying  the  Passion  week  and 
Easter  season  with  some  of  your  friends?     I  hope  not. 

We  only  were  apprized  of  your  illness  at  Wernersville  a  few 
days  ago;  and  then  did  not  know  at  which  Sanitarium  you  were 
being  treated.     This  accounts  for  my  not  writing  to  you  sooner. 

Mrs.  Bausman  has  gone  to  visit  Mrs.  Dr.  L.  K.  Derr.  It  is 
remarkable  to  see  the  uncomplaining  patience  with  which  this 
stricken  household  bears  their  bereavement. 

Do  not  be  in  a  hurry  to  get  back  to  your  work.  As  you  know, 
a  relapse,  whether  bodily  or  spiritual,  is  as  a  rule  worse  than  the 
trouble  before  it  was  partly  relieved.  Half  a  cure  may  be  worse 
than  the  disease  in  its  more  malignant  form. 

As  you  see,  I  am  trying  to  spin  out  my  rambhng  letter  as 
much  as  I  can,  so  as  to  beguile  the  lonely  tedium  of  your  soli- 
tude. 

See  what  a  long  letter  I  have  written  to  you.  Is  not  that  an 
evidence  of  my  interest  in  you,  like  that  which  led  to  your  im- 
portation as  a  beardless  youth  with  your  blushing  bride  by  your 
side  from  the  fields  of  the  far  West? 

I  have  just  returned  from  a  walk  of  over  half  a  mile.  When 
possible,  I  imitate  the  peripatetic  philosopher  of  old,  in  order  to 
keep  my  joints  and  my  digestion  in  order. 

I  will  have  to  stop.  The  wheel  could  whir  longer,  but  I  am 
out  of  yarn.  God  bless  you,  my  dear  brother.  May  He  soon 
restore  you  to  bodily  soundness,  and  spare  you  long  for  your 
family  and  the  Church,  and  add  many  more  years  to  your  valu- 
able life,  so  rich  in  good  work  in  the  past. 

Yours  very  truly, 

B.  Bausman 

Reading,  May  10,  1907. 
My  Dear  Mrs.  Yundt: 

Our  attempted  special  meeting  of  Bethany  Orphans'  Home 
Board  yesterday  was  a  failure.  Only  four  members  were  pre- 
sent. The  usual  Ascension  day  excursion  from  Allentown  was 
smaller  than  usual,  on  account  of  the  inclement  weather.  Mr. 
John  Lawfer  was  present. 

How  much  we  missed  Mr.  Yundt  and  you.  Footprints  of  his 
labor,  and  soul-prints  of  his  love  are  traceable  on  every  hand. 


BETHANY  ORPHANS'  HOME  309 

At  the  Home  as  elsewhere  though  dead  he  yet  speaketh.  He 
and  yourself  understood  the  needs  and  life  of  the  Home  better 
than  we  could.  To  hundreds  he  was  the  best  father  they  ever 
knew. 

"None  knew  him  but  to  love  him, 
None  named  him  but  to  praise." 

Personally,  I  count  myself  among  his  closest  friends.  We 
were  in  vital  heart  touch;  mutually  endeared  with  tenderest 
ties.  A  year  and  a  quarter  ago  he  knelt  at  my  sick-bed,  which 
some  thought  might  be  my  death-bed.  Less  than  two  months 
ago  I  kneeled  at  his  death-bed.  Even  so,  Father,  for  so  it  seemeth 
good  in  Thy  sight.  At  such  times  words  seem  cold.  I  need  not 
assure  you  how  much  I  sympathize  with  you.  Often  I  pray  for 
you  and  the  children.  I  know  how  he  bore  you  all  on  his  heart — 
how  his  home  was  to  him  the  dearest  spot  on  earth. 

God  only  can  fill  the  vacant  place.  Jesus  still  feels  drawn  to 
hearts  and  homes  of  sorrow,  as  of  old.  He  was  drawTi  to  that  of 
Bethany  and  that  of  Jairus.  Think  of  His  real  tender  sympathy 
for  you  and  yours.  I  am  glad  you  are  bearing  up  bravely.  In 
the  silence  of  your  soul  the  gentle  hand  of  God's  Spirit  is  assuag- 
ing your  grief.  I  believe  that  before  they  get  to  heaven  God 
already  wipes  away  the  tears  of  His  children.  That  in  all  our 
afflictions  He  is  afflicted.  May  God  bless  you,  my  dear  Mrs. 
Yundt. 

In  loving  sympathy, 

Your  friend  and  Christian  brother, 

B.  Bausman. 

Reading,  January  31,  1908. 
My  Dear  Brother  More: 

I  thank  you  for  your  kindly  greetings  and  w^ords  of  cheer. 
God  has  been  good  to  me,  lo!  these  many  years  past,  and  still 
is,  beyond  what  my  poor  words  can  express.  My  face  is  towards 
the  sunset  of  life.  I  am  free  from  aches  and  pains,  relish  my  food 
and  sleep  well,  and  as  a  rule  enjoy  a  wonderfully  peaceful  and 
serene  frame  of  mind.  All  these  mercies  derive  added  sweet- 
ness from  such  loving  words  as  you  and  other  friends  address  to 
me.  Even  tho'  one  at  times  feels  undeserving  of  what  is  said 
about  him,  the  good-will  that  prompts  it  is  extremely  gratifying. 
I  do  not  know  how  the  Christmas  offerings  thus  far  compare 
with  those  of  last  year,  but  I  have  no  concern  about  the  final 
amount.  Should  it  be  insufficient,  we  need  but  tell  it  to  our 
friends,  and  they  will  gladly  furnish  what  will  be  needed. 

We  are  sorry  that  you  have  considerable  sickness  in  the  Home, 


310  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

and  glad  that  it  is  no  worse.     As  you  know,  some  communities 
have  been  seriously  grippe  ridden  this  winter. 

We  often  speak  of  you  and  Mrs.  More,  and  of  your  beautiful 
work,  and  I  often  mention  you  both  by  name  to  God  in  my 
prayers. 

May  God  bless  you  all. 

Your  brother  in  the  bonds  of  our  loving  Savior, 

B.  Bausman. 

July  10,  1908. 
My  Dear  Brother  More: 

At  the  late  meeting  of  our  Board  you  made  a  passing  allu- 
sion to  the  25th  Anniversary  of  your  marriage.  The  hurry  and 
pressure  of  our  business  prevented  the  Board  from  taking  any 
formal  or  official  notice  of  it.  As  its  presiding  officer  I  take 
great  pleasure  in  voicing  what  I  am  sure  is  the  sentiment  of 
every  member  of  the  Board. 

Years  ago  you  and  your  good  wife  were  called  to  the  headship 
of  our  dear  Home.  Few  of  us  had  any  personal  acquaintance 
with  either  of  you.  If  it  is  true  that  marriages  are  made  in 
heaven,  it  is  true  in  a  higher  sense,  that  you  and  Mrs.  More 
were  mated  in  heaven,  and  what  is  more,  that  you  both  were 
mated  with  Bethany  Orphans'  Home,  as  ordained  by  the 
heavenly  powers. 

God  gave  you  both  to  us  in  answer  to  our  prayers.  Your 
work  has  shown  that  He  endowed  both  of  you,  by  nature  and  by 
divine  grace,  with  endowments  which  especially  qualify  you  for 
the  position  you  have  so  successfully  filled. 

Not  only  the  Board  of  Managers,  but  the  large  number  of 
friends  whose  liberal  support  has  amply  provided  for  its  needs, 
unite  with  us  in  tendering  you  our  warm  congratulations.  My 
heart  tenderly  goes  out  to  you  and  your  daughters.  In  addition 
to  the  latter,  God  has  given  you  many  children,  whom  you  have 
loved,  cared  for  and  trained  with  a  parental  tenderness  which 
has  been  beautiful  to  witness.  You  have  borne  them  on  your 
hearts  and  blessed  them  with  your  ardent  affection.  God  knows 
all  this  better  than  your  friends.  You  have  lived  some  of  your 
best  life  into  the  life  of  other  people's  children,  who  will  rise  up 
and  call  you  blessed  in  this  world,  and  in  that  which  is  to  come. 
May  the  Father  of  the  fatherless  bestow  upon  you  and  yours 
His  bountiful  blessing,  attend  you  on  the  contemplated  journey 
of  your  approaching  vacation,  bring  you  back  invigorated  in 
body  and  in  spirit,  and  spare  you  to  us  and  to  our  dear  Orphans' 
Home  for  many  years  to  come. 

Your  friend  and  brother  in  Christ, 

B.  Bausman. 


BETHA.NY    ORPHANS'    HOME  311 

There  is  an  accurate  record  of  the  attendance  of  the  Managers 
at  the  Board  meetings  since  1886.  Dr.  Bausman  missed  but 
nine  quarterly  meetings  during  that  period  and  then  always 
because  of  sickness  or  unavoidable  engagement.  He  begged  to 
be  permitted  to  resign  in  1905  because  of  his  advanced  years  and 
the  inevitable  infirmities  of  age.  The  Board  would  not  con- 
sider this  suggestion  for  a  moment.  He  attended  his  last  quar- 
terly meeting  a  month  before  his  death  and  was  in  the  best  of 
spirits. 

The  great  "friend  of  Bethany  Home"  went  to  his  heavenly 
home,  but  his  spirit  abides  in  those  who  carry  on  the  work.  The 
best  compliment  to  Dr.  Bausman  in  what  he  did  at  Womelsdorf, 
is  that  the  work  goes  on,  ever  enlarging  in  its  blessed  ministry 
as  before.  Each  year  sees  a  new  building  erected  or  some  im- 
provement made.  It  is  now  planned  very  appropriately  that, 
in  1913,  the  fiftieth  Anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the  Home 
shall  be  signalized  by  the  erection  of  a  chapel  to  Dr.  Bausman's 
memory. 

On  October  6,  1910,  in  connection  with  the  dedication  of  the 
Yundt  Memorial  Gateway,  the  portrait  of  Dr.  Bausman,  painted 
by  Gideon  P.  Kostenbader,  and  the  gift  of  his  nephew,  J.  W. 
B.  Bausman,  Esq.,  of  Lancaster,  Pa.,  was  unveiled  in  the  chapel 
at  the  Home. 

This  chapter  is  fittingly  closed  with  the  beautiful  address 
delivered  at  Dr.  Bausman's  funeral  by  the  Rev.  Wilson  F.  More, 
Superintendent  of  the  Home: 

Bethany  Address  at  Dr.  Bausman's  Funeral,  May  12,  1909 

A  great  and  wise  and  good  man  has  passed  away.  This  man 
was  a  devoted  friend  of  Bethany  and  Bethany  keenly  feels  her 
loss.  It  is  with  sorrow  most  sincere  that  she  mingles  her  tears 
with  those  of  many  others  who  enjoyed  the  inestimable  privilege 
of  calling  Dr.  Bausman' friend. 

There  is  probably  no  more  expressive  and  convincing  eloquence 
than  that  of  silent  tears.  They  tell  of  a  heart  too  full  for  utter- 
ance, yet  too  good  to  be  self-contained.  If  Bethany  were  selfish 
she  might  be  well  content  to  weep  in  silence  at  the  bier  of  this 
good  man.  But  Bethany  is  not  selfish.  More  than  forty  years 
of  Dr.  Bausman's  unselfish  life  has  been  lived  into  her,  and  her 


312  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

richest  heritage  to-day  is  the  possession  of  a  generous  measure  of 
the  hberal  spirit  of  her  now  sainted  friend. 

Dr.  Bausman  was  Bethany's  friend.  Yea,  he  was  more  than 
friend.  Of  George  Washington  it  was  beautifully  said  that 
Providence  had  left  him  childless  that  his  country  might  call  him 
father.  So  we  may  say  of  the  departed:  Providence  had  left 
him  childless  so  that  Bethany  and  her  children  might  call  him 
father.  Dr.  Bausman  was  in  very  truth  a  father  to  Bethany. 
Though  he  did  not  bring  her  into  being,  he  became  greatly  at- 
tached to  her  in  her  helpless  infancy,  and  he  it  was  who  gave 
the  child  its  name;  that  name  so  beautiful  and  so  full  of  sugges- 
tive inspiration  to  Christlike  service.  With  fondest  devotion 
he  planned  for  Bethany,  watched  over  her,  labored  in  her,  and 
the  furtherance  of  her  interests  was  the  burden  of  his  prayers. 
Some  of  his  most  beautiful  addresses  were  spoken  to  Bethany 
audiences  or  had  Bethany  for  their  theme.  It  is  undoubtedly 
true  that  a  mind  so  liberal  and  a  heart  so  great  could  not  limit  its 
devotion  to  any  one  cause.  Dr.  Bausman  loved  in  all  sincerity 
the  wife  of  his  bosom  who  watched  over  him  with  a  thoughtful, 
tender  care  that  was  beautiful  to  behold.  But  nothing  human 
was  foreign  to  him.  We  find  him  interested  and  zealous  in  the 
support  of  every  worthy  cause  in  church  and  state.  His  heart 
went  out  to  these  other  larger  public  objects  that  rightly  claimed 
his  help,  but  it  always  seemed  to  us  as  though  that  loyal  heart 
found  its  sweetest  home,  its  highest  joy,  its  most  congenial  ser- 
vice and  its  most  satisfying  rest  in  his  beloved  Bethany;  and 
Bethany  received  without  solicitation  and  without  stint  the  rip- 
ened, mellowed  fruitage  of  his  richest  spiritual  life. 

When  I  was  called  into  the  service  of  the  Orphans'  Home,  Dr. 
Bausman  had  been  President  of  the  Board  of  Managers  for  almost 
forty  years  and  had  already  passed  considerably  beyond  the 
allotted  period  of  three  score  years  and  ten.  Yet  he  came  to  the 
quarterly  board  meetings,  always  youthful  in  spirit  and  remarkably 
well  preserved  in  body.  More  than  once  he  insisted  on  walking 
from  the  station  to  the  home  buildings,  though  a  carriage  had 
been  provided  for  his  convenience  and  comfort.  We  always  looked 
forward  with  eager  expectation  to  his  coming  and  missed  him 
greatly  when  he  failed  to  appear.  His  presence  was  a  benedic- 
tion; his  brief  addresses  to  the  Bethany  family  and  visitors  at  the 
opening  of  our  Board  meetings  were  like  a  message  from  heaven ; 
and  his  prayers  on  these  occasions  were  the  outpouring  of  a  heart 
full  of  intelligent  interest  in  the  employees  and  children  and  full 
of  trust  in  God,  the  Father  of  the  fatherless,  from  whom  must 
come  wisdom  and  strength  to  bring  up  the  orphan  children  to  the 
honor  of  His  name.     These  prayers  bore  evidence  that  he  who 


BETHANY  ORPHANS'  HOME  313 

uttered  them  was  accustomed  to  plead  for  Bethany  at  the  throne 
of  heavenly  grace. 

In  all  the  relations  of  life,  Dr.  Bausman  bore  himself  with  un- 
failing dignity.  Such  was  his  bearing  also  as  the  President  of 
the  Board  of  Managers  and  in  his  dealing  with  me  as  Superin- 
tendent of  the  Home.  From  the  beginning  I  feared  him  and  I 
feared  him  until  the  end.  But  the  nature  of  this  fear  changed 
altogether  as  time  went  on  and  brought  about  a  close  acquaint- 
ance. In  the  beginning  it  was  the  fear  of  awe  and  dread;  it 
developed  into  the  fear  of  reverence  and  love.  And  now  as  I 
look  upon  his  noble  face  for  the  last  time  on  earth,  I  count  it  as 
one  of  the  greatest  blessings  of  my  life  that  I  was  permitted  to 
know  him;  to  come  under  his  influence  by  being  associated  with 
him  in  the  most  Christlike  work.  It  was  an  inspiration  to  be  and 
to  do  my  very  best.  It  made  me  feel  that  once  and  always  the 
Christ  is  present  in  this  Home  where  the  Marys  and  Marthas  are 
busy  in  the  service  of  the  Lord.  It  helped  to  make  the  Home  at 
Bethany  to  our  hearts  and  minds  what  it  is  in  reality — a  veritable 
house  of  God.  It  helped  to  open  our  eyes  so  that  we  could  see 
visions  which  made  trials  bearable,  which  made  difficulties  sur- 
mountable, which  made  pleasures  enjoyable  and  which  glorified 
the  commonplace  until  it  shone  like  the  face  of  an  angel  in  the 
light  of  the  better  world. 

When  we  come  to  inquire  how  it  was  that  Dr.  Bausman  could 
wield  such  a  commanding  influence  in  the  Board  and  could  exer- 
cise such  an  irresistible  power  in  molding  the  policy  and  directing 
the  course  of  Bethany,  we  find  a  partial  explanation  in  the  fact 
that  he  stood  preeminentlj'  for  the  soul  life,  the  spiritual  side  of 
the  institution,  insisting  that  she  always  seek  first  the  kingdom  of 
God  and  His  righteousness  with  the  assurance  that  all  other  things 
would  be  added  unto  her.  Being  thus  in  accord  with  the  purpose 
and  plan  of  the  Almighty,  he  could  speak  with  authority,  for  all 
felt  that  he  spoke  out  of  a  deep  experience  on  matters  of  the  high- 
est importance,  and  when  he  thus  spoke,  there  was  none  to  say 
him  nay.  As  to  the  more  outward,  the  business  side  of  the  Home, 
he  willingly  and  cheerfully  deferred  to  others  whom  he  recognized 
as  better  qualified  to  deal  with  matters  of  that  kind.  But  whether 
leading  or  following,  there  was  always  a  sweet  reasonableness 
about  our  friend  which  took  away  all  desire  to  oppose  him  in  any 
of  his  cherished  plans. 

And  now  he  is  gone.  His  voice  will  no  more  be  heard  in  the 
council  chamber  of  the  Home.  No  more  will  he  express  concern 
for  our  welfare  and  caution  as  against  overwork  or  anxious  care. 
We  will  miss  him  greatly.  But  we  are  reconciled  to  the  fact  of  his 
departure  by  the  thought  that  his  spirit  will  abide  with  us  and 


314  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

that  the  influence  of  his  example  will  always  remain.  Moreover, 
we  feel  that  so  many  years  of  labor  have  earned  for  him  the 
right  to  rest  in  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  where  there  is  fulness  of 
joy  and  at  his  right  hand,  where  there  are  pleasures  forevermore. 

Having  fully  filled  the  measure 
Of  his  God-appointed  years, 

He  has  yielded  up  the  treasure 
Of  his  life  devoid  of  fears. 

Is  there  need  that  we  should  sorrow- 
In  the  bitterness  of  tears? 

Seeing  that  the  hands  that  labored 

Now  are  folded  on  his  breast, 
Knowing  that  the  feeble  body 

Worn  with  service  is  at  rest, 
While  the  spirit  has  its  guerdon 

In  the  regions  of  the  blest. 


CHAPTER  XVI 


Church  Boards 


FEW  ministers  of  the  denomination  were  called  upon  to  give 
so  much  time  to  the  general  work  of  the  Church  on  her 
several  Boards  as  Dr.  Bausman.  His  far-sightedness,  good 
judgment  and  aggressiveness,  his  fairness  and  non-partisan 
spirit  commended  him.  Great  confidence  was  lodged  in  him  and 
his  influence  in  behalf  of  any  interest  counted  for  much.  Again 
and  again  he  was  elected  for  such  service  against  his  will  and  on 
most  of  the  Boards  he  would  have  been  continued  much  longer 
had  he  not  positively  declined  to  serve  longer. 

Within  a  year  after  his  ordination,  he  was  chosen  for  this 
general  work,  and  save  for  a  year  on  the  occasion  of  his  first 
visit  abroad,  and  for  a  short  time  after  the  beginning  of  his  ed- 
itorial work  on  the  Messenger,  he  served  the  Church  continuously 
to  the  end  of  his  life  on  one  or  more  of  her  Boards. 

During  the  years  1866-1867,  in  the  midst  of  which  the  Guar- 
dian and  Hausfreund  were  launched  and  parish  problems  were 
many  and  perplexing,  he  was  simultaneously  on  all  the  eight 
Boards.  At  no  other  period  of  his  life  had  he  at  one  time  so 
many  irons  in  the  fire  and  yet  he  saw  to  it  that  most  of  them 
were  kept  hot. 

Bethany  Orphans'  Home,  with  its  call  of  needy  children,  was 
nearest  to  his  heart  and  into  it  more  than  into  any  other  general 
interest  of  the  Church  he  put  his  life,  as  we  have  seen  in  the  pre- 
vious chapter.  In  other  chapters  we  have  noted  as  we  have 
followed  his  career,  how  from  time  to  time,  he  served  his  de- 
nomination on  important  committees,  as  president  of  Synod  and 
General  Synod,  as  delegate  to  other  denominations  and  to  Alliance 
Meetings  abroad.  We  look  at  him  in  this  chapter  laboring 
with  other  leaders  of  the  Church,   gratuitously,   but  often  in 

315 


316  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

situations   of   great   perplexity,   on   the   various   Boards   of  the 
Church. 

Board  of  Visitors  of  The  Theological  Seminary — 1860-1870. 

Benjamin  Bausman  was  in  the  editorial  chair  at  Chambers- 
burg,  when  the  Synod  of  Lebanon  in  October,  1860,  elected  him 
to  the  Board  of  Visitors  of  the  Seminary  at  Mercersburg.  He 
served  the  Church  in  this  capacity  continuously  for  ten  years. 

It  was  a  trying  time  for  the  Seminary.  The  depressing  effect 
of  the  Civil  War  was  felt  on  all  church  interests,  spiritual,  in- 
tellectual and  practical,  and  the  institution's  location  near  the 
arena  of  hostilities  made  it  all  the  worse.  In  the  latter  half  of 
the  decade  the  Reformed  Church  entered  upon  the  bitterest 
stage  of  her  internal  strife  in  the  Liturgical  Controversy.  The 
College  was  at  Lancaster  and  throughout  this  period  there  was 
a  feeling  of  regret  at  the  separation  of  these  two  institutions. 
The  Seminary,  too,  needed  to  be  in  the  heart  of  the  Church,  as 
its  friends  all  keenly  felt. 

Dr.  Schaff  left  the  Seminary  in  1863.  The  isolation  of  the  in- 
stitution was  in  some  measure  the  cause  of  his  leaving,  as  one 
would  infer  from  words  like  these  to  Harbaugh: 

Sometimes  I  can  hardly  endure  longer  the  dreary  separation 
from  the  springs  of  life  and  exile  from  congenial  intercourse. 
What  folly  to  put  the  institutions  of  the  Church  away  from  the 
centre  of  population  to  an  inaccessible  outpost. 

In  similar  strain.  Prof.  Higbee  wrote  to  Bausman  in  1865  and 
1866,  shortly  after  he  came  to  the  Seminary  at  Mercersburg: 

I  am  convinced  that  we  are  not  in  the  heart  of  the  Church 
here,  and  that  to  prosper  as  we  ought,  we  must  move  where  we 
can  be  more  present  to  the  active  life  of  the  Church. 

Write  me!  Write!!  Write!!!  I  feel  as  if  we  were  here  out- 
side of  all  Church  communication.  Give  me  your  mind.  I  am 
one  of  those  beings  that  feels  a  sense  of  withering  when  I  cannot 
commune  with  the  thought  and  feeling  of  my  friends. 

Sentiment  gradually  crystallized  to  change  the  location  of  the 
school  of  the  prophets.  In  1868,  Mr.  Bausman  was  on  the 
Committee  of  Synod  which  recommended  "That  the  Theological 


CHURCH   BOARDS  317 

Seminary  be  removed  to  Lancaster,  Pa.,"  and  two  years  later, 
at  the  close  of  his  service  on  the  Board  of  Visitors,  Synod  finally 
decided  to  effect  the  removal. 

Here  is  a  glimpse  of  the  situation  at  Mercersburg,  as  it  con- 
cerned prospective  preachers — in  a   letter   of   Prof.    Higbee   to 
Bausman,  March,  1865:    "The  students  have  felt  a  httle  dis- 
couraged during  the  long  winter,  having  no  shed  to  keep  their 
wood  from  the  snows  and  in  having  cold  rooms." 

Another  glimpse  follows,  of  concern  to  all  who  went  to  and 
from  Mercersburg,  in  a  letter  of  Mr.  Bausman  to  his  brother: 
"March  30,  1863.  This  afternoon  I  and  brother  Fisher  must 
go  to  Mercersburg  to  attend  the  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Vis- 
itors. Just  think,  ten  miles  through  the  mud  on  horseback. 
That  is  good  for  the  stomach." 

In  1862  the  Board  of  Visitors  definitely  fixed  the  term  of  study 
in  the  Seminary  at  two  and  a  half  years;  in  1864,  they  recom- 
mended to  Synod,  which  approved,  that  there  should  be  but  one 
Seminary  session  from  September  to  May — "this  would  enable 
indigent  students  better  opportunity  to  secure  emploj^ment  dur- 
ing vacation,  to  assist  themselves  in  pursuing  their  studies" — 
and  the  course  of  study  was  fixed  at  three  years.  Hitherto,  the 
Seminary  year  closed  in  July  and  there  was  a  vacation  in  March, 
at  the  end  of  the  first  term.  The  Board  of  Visitors  met  in  March 
and  July,  and  just  before  Mr.  Bausman  became  a  member  de- 
cided "to  have  a  sermon  preached  before  the  students  and  others 
on  some  subject  connected  with  the  importance  and  solemnity 
of  their  position."  This  custom  continued  only  for  a  few  years. 
Bausman's  turn  came  at  the  March  meeting  in  1862,  when  he 
was  appointed  to  preach  against  his  will.  We  read  this  note  in 
the  diary:  "Had  determined  not  to  do  it  but  was  obhged  because 
congregation  was  present.  The  Lord  enabled  me  to  speak  with 
freedom."     His  text  was  Hebrew  11:7 — "The  Faith  of  Noah." 

Had  Benjamin  Bausman  been  ambitious  to  become  a  distin- 
guished theologian  and  professor,  he  would  have  accepted  the 
offer  which  came  to  him  a  year  after  he  became  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Visitors.  For  several  years  previous  there  was  under 
way  the  establishment  of  a  theological  tutorship.  The  project 
was  occasioned  by 


318  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

the  generous  offer  of  Dr.  Von  Bethmann  Hollweg,  president  of 
the  German  Evangelical  Church  Diet,  to  establish  a  fund  of  two 
thousand  Prussian  dollars,  the  interest  of  which  shall  aid  in 
sustaining  a  pious  young  divine  of  the  German  Church  in  Amer- 
ica, as  a  student  at  the  Universities  of  Germany  with  a  view  to 
qualify  him  more  fully  for  the  position  of  theological  teacher  in 
our  Seminary  *  *  *  and  to  serve  at  the  same  time  as  a 
perpetual  and  living  bond  of  union  between  our  Church  and 
the  mother  Churches  of  Germany. 

The  tutorship  contemplates  the  employment  and  support  of 
a  regular  succession  of  two  young  men,  graduates  of  our  literary 
and  theological  institutions,  and  distinguished  for  diligence, 
scholarship  and  Christian  character,  who  shall  be  simultaneously 
engaged,  the  one  in  completing  his  theological  and  general  liter- 
ary education  in  Europe,  the  other  in  teaching,  as  assistant  pro- 
fessor in  our  Seminary. 

To  carry  this  scheme  into  effect,  it  was  proposed,  too,  to  create 
a  fund  of  $10,000  or  more,  and  an  effort  was  made  to  get  twenty 
men  in  the  Synod  to  give  toward  it,  $500  each.  Mr.  Bausman 
gave  his  bond  of  $500  as  one  of  the  twenty. 

By  1861  the  way  seemed  open  to  carry  the  scheme  into  effect, 
and  we  read  in  the  minutes  of  the  Board  of  Visitors  at  their  an- 
nual meeting  that  the  faculty,  Drs.  Schaff  and  Wolff,  presented 

as  candidates  for  the  teaching  tutorship  Rev.  Benjamin  Baus- 
man and  Lie.  Wm.  M.  Reily.  The  choice  will  necessarily  be 
confined  to  these  two  brethren,  inasmuch  as  they  alone,  of  all 
the  graduates  of  our  Seminary,  have  been  two  years  in  Europe 
to  finish  their  education  as  expressly  required  by  the  tutorship 
scheme. 

As  to  the  candidate  for  the  traveling  tutorship,  you  have  first 
to  decide  the  question  whether  it  would  not  be  better  to  send  for 
the  first  time  an  older  graduate  of  the  Seminary  and  an  ordained 
minister  of  established  character  to  Europe,  so  as  to  give^^more 
dignity  and  efficiency  to  the  enterprise. 

After  such  words  from  the  faculty,  we  are  not  surprised  that 
the  Board  of  Visitors  nominated  for  election  by  Synod,  Wm.  M. 
Reily  for  teaching  tutor  and  Benjamin  Bausman  for  traveling 
tutor.  The  feeling  of  the  latter  toward  this  action  is  recorded 
in  his  diary  for  July  17,  1861:  "Board  of  Visitors  recommended 
me  to  the  foreign  tutorship  against  my  remonstrances. " 


CHURCH   BOARDS  319 

The  Synod  of  Easton  elected  him  to  the  travehng  tutorship. 
He  declined  to  accept  and  thus  escaped  the  kindly  conspiracy  of 
his  friends  to  make  a  theological  professor  out  of  him.  At  the 
same  time,  it  will  be  recalled,  he  resigned  the  editorship  of  the 
Messenger.  He  had  made  up  his  mind  that  henceforth  the 
pastorate  should  be  his  primary  work. 

The  tutorship  scheme  developed  into  the  third  professorship 
in  the  Seminary,  of  which  the  beloved  Dr.  Gast  became  the  first 
incumbent,  in  1873. 

Dr.  Bausman  was  a  generous  friend  of  the  Seminary.  His 
name  stands  engraved  on  the  tablet  in  the  vestibule  of  the  Li- 
brary building  as  one  of  the  eighteen  contributors  to  its  erection. 

Three-fourths  of  the  books  in  his  library,  about  1,500  volumes, 
went  by  bequest  to  the  Seminary. 

His  portrait  hangs  in  the  Seminary  Reading  Room  and  is  the 
gift  of  J.  W.  B.  Bausman,  Esq.,  his  nephew. 

Board  of  Trustees  of  Franklin  and  Marshall  College — 1864-1870 

John  Bausman,  the  father  of  Dr.  Bausman,  was  a  trustee  of 
Franklin  College  from  1828  to  1851,  and  of  Franklin  and  Marshall 
from  1852  to  his  death  in  1861.  Jacob  Bausman,  his  oldest 
brother,  was  on  the  Board  from  1853  to  his  death  in  1894,  and 
from  1866  on  was  the  treasurer.  His  son,  J.  W.  B.  Bausman,  suc- 
ceeded him  both  as  trustee  and  as  treasurer  of  the  College  and  has 
continued  in  that  important  office  to  the  present.  Dr.  Baus- 
man's  uncle,  Abraham  Peters,  was  also  trustee  from  1853  to 
1867. 

It  was  on  the  eve  of  a  great  crisis  in  the  history  of  the  College 
when  Mr.  Bausman  became  a  member  of  the  Board  in  1864. 
Important  changes  were  soon  to  be  effected  and  it  was  his  lot  to 
have  an  active  hand  in  them.  Dr.  Dubbs  says  of  this  period, 
in  his  history  of  the  College: 

After  the  tercentenary  celebration  there  were  several  years  of 
profound  depression.  As  often  happens  after  a  special  effort, 
there  were  few  gifts,  and  the  friends  of  the  institution  were  dis- 
couraged. It  seemed  impossible  to  recover  from  the  depression 
induced  by  the  war,  and  the  number  of  students  actually  de- 
creased, so  that  in  1866  there  were  but  six  graduates.     The  lat- 


320  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMaN 

ter  fact  especially  attracted  much  attention,  and  the  Alumni 
Association  requested  the  Board  to  consider  the  state  of  the  in- 
stitution. 

All  were  apparently  agreed  that  something  must  be  done;  but 
what  it  was  to  be  no  one  seemed  to  know.  It  is  surprising  that 
the  College  was  not  broken  up  by  the  troubles  of  this  eventful 
year. 

On  commencement  day,  July,  1865,  at  the  annual  Board  meet- 
ing a  committee  of  five  was  appointed  "to  investigate  the  gen- 
eral condition  of  the  College  ....  and  ascertain  if  possible, 
the  cause  or  causes  for  the  decrease  of  the  number  of  students." 

Mr.  Bausman  was  on  this  committee  which  reported  to  the 
Board  in  January,  1866.  The  Board  met  several  more  times 
during  that  year.  There  was  not  a  little  excitement  among  the 
friends  of  the  College,  as  will  be  gathered  from  the  following 
excerpts  of  letters  which  Prof.  Higbee  wrote  to  Bausman  dur- 
ing that  winter: 

I  hear  you  are  on  the  reconstruction  committee.  You  have  a 
responsible  position,  I  assure  you,  and  I  pray  God  you  may  be 
wisely  directed  what  to  do. 

Then  follow  suggestions,  some  of  which  were  adopted.  The 
letter  proceeds: 

What  are  they  thinking  about  at  Lancaster?  We  hear  noth- 
ing here  of  this  most  important  interest.  We  feel  how  much  is 
at  stake  and  long  to  have  light— but  everything  is  so  still.  Is  it 
a  calm  before  some  great  storm?  I  have  confidence,  of  course, 
in  the  Board  of  Trustees,  but  would  prefer  to  know  something 
about  their  aims  and  methods  of  action.  The  paper  has  spoken 
nothing;  the  committee  has  given  us  nothing;  the  Board  of  Trus- 
tees has  made  no  announcement;  the  Church  knows  nothing  of 
what  has  been  done  even.  Have  we  no  right  to  hear  anything 
save  what  we  can  get  by  private  correspondence?  Is  the  matter 
too  delicate  for  the  public?  Perhaps  the  point  has  not  been 
reached  yet  to  make  your  action  known;  but  this  little  by  little, 
leaking  out  and  adding  to  rumor,  hundred-tongued  already,  is 
far  worse  than  a  fair,  full  statement  of  the  proceedings. 

Various  suggestions  were  made  by  the  investigation  com- 
mittee. There  was  not  between  professors  and  students  "the 
opportunity   for   mutual   intercourse   which    formed   a   leading 


CHURCH    BOARDS  321 

feature  of  Marshall  College."  It  was  proposed  that  a  large 
building  be  erected,  "so  that  faculty  and  students  might  live 
under  one  roof."  There  should  be  taken  "immediate  steps  to 
establish  a  Preparatory  School,"  such  as  was  at  old  Marshall. 
"The  course  in  mathematics  might  be  reduced  in  quantity,  while 
that  in  English  literature  and  practical  science  could  be  en- 
larged." "The  faculty  as  a  whole  should  be  reorganized." 
They  should  "revise  the  charter  and  reduce  the  number  of 
trustees,"  and  thus  make  the  Board  more  efficient. 

Mr.  Bausman,  with  Hon.  John  W.  Killinger  and  Dr.  Wm. 
Mayburry  were  appointed  a  committee  "to  revise  the  course  of 
study  with  a  view  to  improve  it  and  also  to  reorganize  the  fac- 
ulty." They  reported  to  a  meeting  of  the  Board  in  May  and 
among  other  things  suggested  that  "political  philosophy,  em- 
bracing the  law  of  nations,"  should  be  taught;  that  there  be  es- 
tablished "at  an  early  day  a  thorough  scientific  course  of  instruc- 
tion similar  to  that  provided  in  other  colleges"  issuing  in  the 
degree  of  Ph.  B.;  "that  the  present  organization  of  the  faculty 
be  at  an  end,  August  31st,  and  that  the  Board  proceed  to  elect  a 
new  faculty." 

The  carrying  out  of  this  last  suggestion  caused  "much  excited 
discussion,"  as  Bausman  observed  in  his  diary.  A  committee  of 
five  was  appointed  to  nominate  the  new  faculty  at  another  meet- 
ing and  Bausman  was  on  this  committee  too. 

Not  a  few  of  the  suggestions  made  were  "impracticable,"  as 
Dr.  Dubbs  claims,  and  some  were  premature;  but  the  outcome 
of  this  careful  study  of  the  college  situation  was  beneficial.  The 
interest  of  the  Church  was  awakened  in  the  College,  which  was 
brought  into  closer  relations  with  the  Synod.  Much  needed 
moneys  were  secured  and  the  attendance  of  students  increased. 
The  proposed  changes  in  the  curriculum  pointed  the  way  to 
modifications  in  the  course  of  study  which  came  a  score  and 
more  of  years  later. 

Just  what  definite  part  Mr.  Bausman  had  in  the  activities  of 
the  Board  during  1865-1866,  it  is  impossible  to  ascertain.  Know- 
ing the  man  as  we  do,  we  are  quite  sure  some  of  the  suggestions  of 
the  investigation  and  revision  committees  did  not  originate  with 
21 


322  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAIJSMAN 

him.  We  can  be  equally  certain  too,  that  he  heartily  approved 
of  bringing  professors  and  students  into  closer  touch,  and  that  he 
favored  modernizing  and  making  more  practical  the  course  of 
study. 

The  Synod  of  York  in  October,  1866,  elected  the  entire  Board 
of  thirty  trustees  anew  and  Bausman  was  chosen  for  the  term  of 
four  years,  at  the  expiration  of  which  he  positively  refused  to 
consent  to  his  reelection.  During  the  last  four  years  of  his  in- 
cumbency, he  served  on  the  Committees  of  Instruction,  and  of 
Discipline  and  Degrees. 

The  Advisory  Council  of  the  Alumni  of  Franklin  and  Marshall 
College  was  constituted  in  1902.  At  the  first  election,  Dr.  Baus- 
man was  chosen  a  member  of  the  Council  by  a  mail  vote  of  the 
Alumni.  He  remained  a  member  of  the  Council  until  1905. 
Through  his  will,  the  College  received  $1,000  for  the  use  of  the 
Library. 

Board   of   Trustees   of   The   Synod— 1 863-1867 

The  Trustees  of  Synod  are  the  custodians  of  its  material  in- 
terests. They  serve  for  a  period  of  five  years  and  are  not  re- 
elected. Mr.  Bausman  was  pastor  at  Chambersburg  and  the 
Synod  met  in  his  church  when  in  1862,  amid  the  alarms  of  war, 
he  was  chosen  to  membership  in  its  Board  of  Trustees.  The 
term  of  ofiice  began  in  January,  1863.  He  was  the  Board's 
President  during  the  five  years  of  his  membership  on  it. 

Board  of  Trustees  of  The  Society  for  Relief  of  Ministers  and  their 
Widows— 1861-1876 

The  Society  for  Relief  is  the  oldest  charitable  organization  of 
the  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States.  It  was  founded 
before  the  separation  from  the  Church  in  Holland,  and  was 
known  in  the  earlier  years  as  The  Widow's  Fund.  Its  member- 
ship is  made  up  of  ministers  who  are  either  annual  or  contribut- 
ing members,  or  life  members.  The  latter  are  made  such  by  the 
contribution  of  $65.  The  officers  of  the  Society  are  elected  by 
the  members  thereof  and  not  by  the  Synod. 


CHURCH   BOARDS  323 

The  Rev.  S.  S.  Miller,  treasurer  and  solicitor  of  the  Society, 
gives  the  following  facts: 

Rev.  B.  Bausman  became  a  member  of  the  Society  in  1859, 
then  known  as  "The  Contributors  to  the  Fund  for  the  Relief  of 
disabled  ministers  and  the  widows  of  deceased  ministers  of  the 
German  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States."  In  1861,  he 
became  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  same.  In 
1863,  he  became  the  vice-president  and  continued  as  such  until 
1876.  He  was  a  life  member  from  1865.  He  was  also  the  larg- 
est one  of  the  contributors  by  his  congregation  and  personally, 
to  the  funds  of  the  Society.  He  took  a  deep  interest  in  its  work 
by  regularly  taking  offerings  for  the  same,  and  by  will  bequeathed 
$1,000,  which  was  added  to  the  invested  funds  and  bears  an 
interest  of  $60  per  year  for  all  time  to  come.  Personally,  I  can 
say  there  was  no  warmer  friend  of  the  Society  than  Dr.  Baus- 
man in  the  Church. 

When  Mr.  Bausman  became  a  member  of  the  Board,  the  in- 
vested funds  were  only  a  few  thousands  of  dollars;  now  they  are 
over  $80,000.  An  important  change  in  the  charter  was  made 
when  he  was  an  official.     It  is  thus  expressed  in  a  recent  report: 

From  the  organization  of  this  Society  until  1865,  limited  by 
the  terms  of  the  charter,  relief  was  given  only  to  the  widows  and 
families  of  deceased  ministers  in  straitened  circumstances.  By 
an  act  of  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature  the  powers  of  the  Society 
were  so  increased  and  extended  as  to  enable  it  to  give  relief  to: 

(a)  Disabled  and  superannuated  ministers  who  are  members 
of  the  Society. 

(b)  Widows  and  families  of  deceased  ministers,  though  not 
members  of  the  Society. 

Sunday  School  Board— 1863-1872 

At  the  first  meeting  of  the  General  Synod  in  Pittsburg  in  1863, 
it  was  decided  "to  constitute  the  Board  of  Sunday  School  Asso- 
ciation. "  Eight  persons  were  chosen  to  serve  on  it  and  Bausman 
was  one.  He  was  reelected  at  the  two  subsequent  triennial 
meetings  of  the  General  Synod.  At  the  General  Synod  of  1875, 
the  Sunday  School  Board  was  discontinued  for  the  following 
reasons  as  then  presented: 

In  the  present  condition  of  affairs  in  the  Church,  it  was  found 
that  nothing  practically  could  be  undertaken  with  any  reason- 


324  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

able  hope  of  success.  Whatever  we  may  be  able  to  do  in  the 
Sunday-school  work,  for  the  present,  can  perhaps  be  accomplished 
by  the  local  operations  already  engaged  in  this  interest  of  the 
Church. 

When  in  1872  Dr.  Bausman  retired  from  this  Board,  through 
which  it  was  then  impossible  to  do  anything  for  the  Church,  he 
quietly  opened  in  his  little  Guardian  a  Sunday  School  Drawer, 
which  gave  fresh  hints  and  illustrative  helps  for  the  Sunday- 
school  every  month.  The  regular  Sunday  School  Department, 
with  lesson  comments,  was  introduced  a  few  years  later.  The 
present  Sunday  School  Board  of  the  Reformed  Church  was  or- 
ganized in  1887. 

It  was  the  Liturgical  Controversy  which  made  it  impossible 
for  the  first  Sunday  School  Board  to  accomplish  anything.  Mr. 
Bausman  was  present  at  a  number  of  the  Board  meetings.  One 
of  the  several  matters  committed  to  the  Board's  supervision  by 
the  General  Synod  in  its  original  instructions  was  the  publish- 
ing of  Sunday-school  hymn-  and  service-books,  a  matter  which 
touched  at  once  the  very  core  of  the  Controversy.  The  Board 
had  on  it  men  with  radically  different  views  on  this  subject, 
hence  agreement  was  impossible. 

The  following  extracts  from  a  letter  written  by  Dr.  Bom- 
berger  a  few  days  after  a  meeting  of  the  Board  in  September, 
1866,  give  a  glimpse  of  the  situation: 

Rev.  B.  Bausman. 

My  dear  Brother: 

Although  this  is  Saturday  morning  and  various  interruptions 
through  the  week  have  left  special  duties  for  to-morrow  unpro- 
vided for,  I  believe  it  will  be  one  of  the  best  means  of  preparing 
my  mind  and  heart  for  work  to  devote  a  half  hour  to  answering 
your  very  kind  and  fraternal  letter  received  yesterday. 

Let  me  begin  by  saying  that  I  have  not  one  hard  thought  in 
regard  to  anything  you  said  or  did  during  the  meeting  of  our 
Board.  For  the  unpleasant  proposition  made  Wednesday  morn- 
ing, I  did  not  think  you  responsible.  If  my  perception  of  the 
matter  was  not  erroneous,  you  had  in  an  offhand  way  simply 

suggested  the  matter  to  Rev.  and  it  was  his  anxiety  to 

turn  the  suggestion  to  account  in  favor  of  his  own  previously 
fixed  views  which  led  him  to  draw  it  out  of  you  before  the  Board. 
Your  reluctance  to  make  it  formally,  stood  in  very  obvious  con- 


CHURCH   BOARDS  325 

trast  with  his  desire  to  have  it  brought  forward.  He  desired 
that  the  collection  of  hymns,  etc.,  which  was  before  the  Board 
should  be  set  aside  and  that  Dr.  Harbaugh's  book  should  be  pre- 
sented to  the  General  Synod  with  an  implied  recommendation, 
that  with  the  advantage  of  such  recommendation  it  might  be 
more  readily  adopted.  This  statement  is  made  so  explicitly 
to  let  you  see  not  only  that  I  was  not  pained  by  your  participa- 
tion in  the  matter,  but  that,  furthermore,  I  saw  no  reason  for 
finding  fault  with  what  you  did. 

But  now,  my  dear  Brother  Bausman,  let  me  speak  frankly  in 
regard  to  the  more  general  subject  connected  with  our  recent 
deliberations  as  a  Sunday  School  Board. 

Everything  that  was  said  by  Rev.  unfavorably  to  our 

going  forward  with  the  work  sprang  directly  out  of  sympathy  with 
the  new  theology  and  cultus,  and  from  vigilant  desire  to  protect  and 
subserve   the  interests   of  both.     The   interests   of   the   ritualistic 

scheme  were  inseparably  involved  in  the  case.     Rev.  's 

course  was  dictated  by  his  zeal  for  the  ultraritualistic  move- 
ment, and  his  anxiety  to  have  nothing  done  which  might  be  in 
the  least  degree  prejudicial  to  it — not  even  the  favoring  of  a 
collection  of  Sunday-school  hymns  which  he  confessed  to  be 
much  better  for  its  purpose  than  Dr.  Harbaugh's. 

It  was  the  discovery  of  this  spirit  which  pained  by  chafing  me. 
Must,  I  thought,  every  agency,  effort,  movement  of  the  Church 
be  forced  into  subserviency  to  these  ultraritualistic  innovations? 
Is  everything,  no  matter  how  true  to  the  historical  character  and 
traditions  of  the  German  Reformed  Church,  to  be  ostracized, 
utterly  cast  out,  so  that  these  attempts  at  revolutionizing  our 
character  and  subverting  our  institutions  may  triumph?  They 
have  had  the  Theological  Seminary,  the  College,  the  Liturgical 
Committee  in  their  power — and  they  are  wielding  that  power 
their  own  way.  Shall  our  Sunday  School  Board  become  an 
engine  in  their  hands  for  the  same  end? 

Dr.  Bausman  was  far  from  agreeing  with  all  that  Dr.  Bom- 
berger  said  and  did ;  but  he  cultivated  the  friendship  of  all  persons 
of  whatever  party  in  the  Church.  He  would  have  gladly  made 
concessions  in  unessentials  in  order  to  unite  in  practical  work. 
The  time  was,  however,  not  yet  ripe  for  this. 

The  Board  of  Home  Missions— 1853-1856;  1857-1859;  1866-1872 

At  the  meeting  of  the  first  Synod  after  Mr.  Bausman's  ordina- 
tion, he  was  elected  to  what  was  then  called  the  Board  of  Do- 
mestic Missions.     This  Board  was  then  constituted  by  the  elec 


326  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

tion  of  two  ministers  from  each  Classis,  and  several  ministers 
and  elders  "from  the  Church  in  general."  He  was  chosen  to 
represent  the  old  Susquehanna  Classis,  the  three  successive  years 
before  he  went  to  Europe.  After  his  return,  he  was  chosen  by 
the  Synods  of  1857  and  1858  to  represent  the  newly  constituted 
West  Susquehanna  Classis  of  which  Lewisburg  was  a  part.  These 
were  the  days  of  small  things.  The  annual  missionary  income 
of  the  old  Synod  for  home  purposes  never  went  beyond  a  few 
thousand  dollars.  It  was  the  cause  which  was  considered  "the 
great  interest  of  the  German  Reformed  Church"  at  that  time, 
and  there  was  a  "growing  consciousness  of  her  mission  in  this 
direction."  Mr.  Bausman's  election  to  this  important  Church 
Board  at  the  very  beginning  of  his  ministry  was  a  tribute  to  his 
recognized  enthusiasm  for  the  cause,  which  never  abated  through- 
out his  long  service  in  the  Church. 

When  the  General  Synod  convened  in  1863,  it  was  planned 
that  the  Home  Missionary  Boards  of  both  Synods  should  be 
dissolved  and  that  the  missionary  interests  of  the  whole  Church 
should  be  under  the  care  of  General  Synod's  Board.  The  dis- 
solution of  the  district  Synodical  Boards  was  in  due  time  effected 
and  in  November,  1865,  their  missions  and  assets  were  trans- 
ferred to  the  General  Board,  to  which  Mr.  Bausman  was  elected 
in  1866.     He  served  for  six  years. 

The  effect  of  the  consolidation  was  beneficial.  The  broader 
outlook  and  larger  vision  inspired  the  Church  and  the  income 
in  money  and  the  number  of  missions,  for  the  year  1866,  were 
twice  as  large  as  those  of  both  Synods  three  years  previous.  Had 
not  the  storm  of  bitter  Controversy  broken  over  the  denomina- 
tion just  then,  we  have  reason  to  think  that  the  missionary  prog- 
ress of  the  Church  would  have  been  much  greater  the  next  score 
of  years.  Mr.  Bausman  became  President  of  the  Board  in  De- 
cember, 1869.  His  amicable  attitude  in  the  Controversy  led  the 
Church  to  look  to  him  as  a  wise  leader  of  a  great  interest  which 
should  command  the  confidence  and  support  of  contending  fac- 
tions. It  was  a  delicate  and  difficult  situation,  and  the  work  was 
not  of  his  choosing;  but  he  loved  his  Church  and  he  had  a  sharp 
sense  of  responsibility. 

Immediately  after  becoming  President  of  the  Board  he  made 


CHURCH   BOARDS  /  327 

a  statement  of  the  Board's  indebtedness,  the  nature  and  condi- 
tion of  the  field,  and  the  plans  by  which  the  work  could  be  ef- 
ficiently done.  It  exhibits  a  masterful,  grasp  of  the  situation 
and  fine  judgment  as  to  the  methods  which  would  accomplish 
the  task. 

Some  of  the  things  he  said  will  interest  us: 

This  Board  is  the  servant  and  missionary  organ  of  a  baptized 
membership  of  at  least  250,000  souls.  These  are  scattered  over 
twenty-one  States,  and  are  rapidly  spreading  into  other  States 
of  the  Union.  Among  so  large  a  population,  scattered  over  so 
large  a  territory,  the  missionary  work  can  not  possibly  be  prose- 
cuted with  the  least  degree  of  success,  without  a  thorough  and 
well-systematized  organization.  First,  we  have  this  Board  of  the 
General  Synod,  the  highest  home  missionary  organization  of 
the  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States.  This  in  itself  will 
be  comparatively  powerless,  unless  the  organization  can  be  made 
to  run  through  our  church  life  down  to  the  lowest  judicatory. 

To  secure  this  we  recommend  the  following  plan:  Let  each 
district  Synod  organize  a  missionary  society  auxiliary  to  the 
General  Board,  through  which  it  may  prosecute  this  work  within 
its  bounds.  In  like  manner,  let  every  Classis  in  the  Church,  at 
as  early  a  date  as  possible,  organize  a  Classical  Missionary  So- 
ciety, to  cultivate  missionary  fields  and  develop  missionary  sym- 
pathy and  zeal  within  its  own  bounds.  Let  every  Classis  be 
formed  into  two  or  more  missionary  districts,  of  which  a  com- 
mittee of  at  least  three  members  shall  have  charge.  Let  each 
district  committee  of  the  Classis  be  requested  to  aid  the  pastors 
within  its  jurisdiction  to  organize  missionary  societies  in  their 
congregations,  or  instead  thereof,  introduce  the  apostolic  plan 
of  benevolence,  and  give  all  their  Sunday  collections  as  sacred 
offerings  to  the  cause  of  Christ.  Thus  the  General  Board  will 
be  able  to  reach  and  control  the  whole  membership  of  the 
Church,  down  through  the  District  Synods,  Classes,  Classical 
Missionary  Committees,  Consistories,  to  the  members  of  the  con- 
gregations. 

Every  organization  of  the  lower  bodies  must  be  subordinate  to 
the  one  next  above  it,  and  all  to  the  General  Board;  the  congre- 
gation to  the  Classis,  the  Classis  to  the  District  Synod,  and  this 
again  to  the  General  Synod  through  its  General  Board  of  Mis- 
sions. Without  this,  the  latter  body  cannot  possibly  be  master 
of  its  situation;  cannot  oversee  and  control  the  field  assigned  it. 

Other  plans  and  policies  outlined  in  the  article  are  alluded  to 


328  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

in  the  following  extracts  from  letters  which  passed  between  Rust 
and  Bausman. 

Tiffin,  January  24,  1870. 
Dear  Benjamin: 

Give  me  your  right  hand,  and  let  us  have  a  good,  hearty  shak- 
ing as  of  old. 

Let  me  congratulate  you  on  your  new  position  in  the  Mis- 
sion Board.  It  is  a  great  and  responsible  as  well  as  most  difficult 
position.  May  the  Lord  bless  you  with  wisdom  and  power,  and 
thus  enable  you  to  realize  the  expectations  of  the  Church.  I  was 
pleased  with  your  first  address  in  the  Messenger.  Hope  you  will 
carry  out  the  rules  there  laid  down,  because  I  know  from  ob- 
servation that  much  money  has  been  spent  in  vain.  It  is  worse 
than  useless  to  support  men  that  have  no  talent  for  missionary 
labor,  and  of  such  there  are  not  a  few,  and  it  is  just  as  useless  to 
spend  money  in  unpromising  fields.  An  efficient  Superintendent, 
with  plenary  power,  to  station  and  to  remove  missionaries,  would 
be  a  good  thing.  We  have  a  number  of  young  men  here  who 
would  make  excellent  missionaries,  but  most  of  them  have  already 
invitations  and  calls  to  regular  charges. 

Reading,  January  31,  1870. 
Thank  you  for  your  kind  wishes  in  my  missionary  relations. 
I  was  pushed  in  against  my  earnest  remonstrance.  I  have  too 
much  other  work  to  do  justice  to  this.  Will  try  my  best  along 
with  the  other  brethren  in  the  Board  to  get  matters  into  a  better 
and  more  prosperous  shape.  If  the  Church  will  rally,  by  God's 
help  it  can  be  done.  If  she  will  not,  I  shall  ere  long  withdraw 
from  the  position.  We  have  held  two  meetings,  and  are  busily 
engaged  in  sifting  our  missionary  fields,  reducing  urmecessarily 
large  appropriations,  stopping  those  of  fields  which  will  never 
come  to  much,  and  meanwhile  seek  out  a  small  number  of  prom- 
ising central  missions  where  permanent  and  large  results  can  be 
expected.  We  have  appointed  Dr.  Stern  Missionary  Super- 
intendent for  the  North  West  Synod,  and  F.  K.  Levan  for  the 
Pittsburg  Synod.  The  Superintendents  for  the  other  Sjoiods 
have  not  yet  been  appointed.  These  can  personally  visit  sta- 
tions in  their  respective  districts,  at  a  comparatively  small  ex- 
pense. 

Dr.  Bausman  specially  emphasized,  in  his  missionary  policy, 
work  among  the  Germans  and  church  extension  in  the  West. 
He  said:  "It  is  wrong  that  a  church  of  German  origin  and 
cultus  should  allow  Enghsh  churches  to  outrun  it  in  missionary 


CHURCH   BOARDS  329 

work  among  the  vast  German  population  of  our  country." 
He  agreed  with  the  sentiment  of  the  Western  Missionary  Super- 
intendent, Dr.  Max  Stern:  "If  we  do  not  wake  up,  we  must  give 
up  the  West." 

Dr.  Bausman  found  it  impossible  to  carry  out  his  plans  satis- 
factorily. Circumstances  forbade  it.  In  his  report  to  General 
Synod  closing  his  presidency  of  the  Board  in  December,  1872, 
he  said: 

The  unsettled  state  of  the  Church,  the  exciting  and  irritating 
controversies  agitating  her,  have  seriously  interfered  with  this 
part  of  our  church  work.  Although  striving  to  be  just  and 
impartial  to  all  interests  and  parties  concerned,  we  regret  to  re- 
port that  we  have  not  received  the  confidence  of  the  en- 
tire Church.  From  the  start,  some  of  the  Synods  in  a  measure 
refused  to  cooperate  with  the  General  Board,  claiming  the  priv- 
ilege to  disburse  their  own  funds  and  manage  their  own  mis- 
sions, regardless  of  its  authority. 

His  own  friend.  Dr.  Jeremiah  H.  Good,  wrote  frequently  in 
complaint  of  the  Board's  actions  as  in  the  following: 

While  the  Church  believes  that  you,  individually,  are  above 
it,  yet  evidence  accumulates  that  there  are  others  in  the  Mis- 
sion Board  and  outside,  who  are  endeavoring  to  use  it  for  party 
purposes.  I  hope  you  will  use  your  influence  to  prevent  this, 
else  it  will  certainly  lead  to  ulterior  measures.  What  I  say  here 
is  not  based  merely  on  rumors,  but  on  documentary  evidence 
from  first  hands. 

Writing  to  a  friend  regarding  other  strictures  from  the  West, 
Dr.  Bausman  said: 

I  most  firmly  hold  that  article  to  speak  what  is  not  true. 

So  far  as  possible,  we  have  studiously  kept  the  suspicions  and 
dissatisfaction  of  eastern  members  of  the  Board  out  of  the 
papers.  Now  the  Board  is  assailed  from  the  other  side.  With 
what  I  have  tried  to  do  and  with  my  intentions,  I  confess  that 
such  an  attack  wounds  me  to  the  quick,  and  I  shall  certainly  not 
remain  in  a  position  where  it  can  be  often  repeated  longer  than 
is  necessary. 

It  will  be  seen  that  Dr.  Bausman  discontinued  serving  on  all 
three  of  the  General  Boards  with  the  General  Synod  of  1872. 


330  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

Manifestly  for  one  and  the  same  reason.  His  soul  detested  the 
very  atmosphere  of  strife. 

Missionary  work  went  on  in  spite  of  internal  contentions,  but 
a  new  era  was  in  store  for  the  cause  after  the  beginning  of  the 
Peace  Movement.  Dr.  Charles  E.  Schaeffer,  our  present  Mis- 
sionary Superintendent,  said  recently:  "The  Church  is  just  now 
beginning  to  see  and  do  what  Dr.  Bausman  saw  and  tried  to  do 
forty  years  ago." 

Dr.  Bausman's  will  favored  the  Home  Board  to  the  extent 
of  $7,000. 

The  Board  of  Foreign  Missions— 1863-1872;  1878-1893 

It  was  at  the  meeting  of  the  Synod  of  Carlisle,  in  October, 
1863,  on  the  eve  of  Mr.  Bausman's  coming  to  Reading,  that  he 
was  elected  to  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions,  of  which  he  became 
the  corresponding  secretary.  In  November,  1863,  the  first 
meeting  of  General  Synod  was  held  and  this  action  was  taken: 

That  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions,  as  recently  constituted 
by  the  Synod  at  Carlisle,  be  and  is  hereby  constituted  the  Board 
of  this  General  Synod. 

That  this  Board  be  enlarged  by  three  ministers  and  two  elders 
from  the  Western  Synod. 

He  was  elected  to  the  same  position  at  the  two  subsequent 
triennial  meetings  of  the  General  Synod,  thus  serving  until  1872. 

The  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  was  originally  organized  by  the 
old  "Synod  of  the  German  Reformed  Church  in  the  United 
States,"  in  1838.  Its  contributions  to  the  cause  went  to  the 
American  or  Congregationalist  Board  and  its  beneficiary  was 
Dr.  Benjamin  Schneider,  who  labored  in  the  Turkish  Empire. 
This  arrangement  continued  until  1865,  and  during  this  period 
of  about  a  quarter  of  a  century  $28,000  was  contributed  to  the 
cause. 

Dr.  Clement  Z.  Weiser,  President  of  the  Foreign  Board  in 
1890,  says  there  was  a  "decline  of  missionary  zeal  from  1865  to 
1878,  caused  by  our  withdrawing  from  the  American  Board,  by 
the  want  of  a  missionary  of  our  own,  by  the  increase  of  duties 
in  the  home  field,  and  by  an  unfortunate  Church  Controversy." 


CHURCH   BOARDS  331 

The  purpose  of  the  Church's  withdrawal  of  aid  from  the  Amer- 
ican Board  was,  as  Dr.  Thomas  G.  Apple  reported  in  1866,  "only 
that  it  might  institute  and  carry  on  its  foreign  missionary  opera- 
tions under  its  own  management  and  under  its  own  responsi- 
bility." 

Meantime,  there  was  great  difference  of  opinion  as  to  where 
in  the  non-Christian  world  the  Reformed  Church  should  locate 
her  mission.  At  the  General  Synod  of  1869,  there  came  an 
overture  from  the  Foreign  Board  of  the  Reformed  Church  in 
America  "to  cooperate  with  them  in  their  foreign  mission  work." 
Mr.  Bausman  was  chairman  of  a  special  committee  to  prepare 
action  on  this  overture,  and  in  his  report,  we  see  manifest  his 
conviction  of  the  distinct  mission  of  his  own  Church  among  the 
denominations.  Synod  approved  the  report,  that  it  "has  with 
pleasure  heard  the  invitation,  but  that  we  are  not  prepared  to 
accept  it,  that  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  this  Synod  be 
instructed  to  select  and  take  charge  of  a  suitable  field  for  foreign 
missionary  work  at  as  early  a  day  as  possible. " 

Another  triennium  passed  and  no  field  was  determined  upon. 
Dr.  Bausman's  last  activity  in  this  first  period  of  service  on  the 
Foreign  Board  was  to  carry  out  the  Board's  instructions  "to 
press  upon  the  General  Synod,  meeting  in  Cincinnati,  Novem- 
ber 27,  1872,  the  importance  and  necessity  of  now  doing  some- 
thing definitely  in  the  foreign  mission  field." 

In  1873,  Japan  was  determined  on  as  the  field  for  the  Reformed 
Church;  but  no  missionary  was  secured  and  commissioned  until 
five  years  thereafter.  Meanwhile,  contributions  were  sent  by 
the  Board  through  the  German  Evangelical  Missionary  Society 
to  the  Revs.  Oscar  Lohr  and  Jacob  Hauser  laboring  in  India  and 
to  the  Board  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church.  Work  was  also 
begun  among  the  Winnebago  Indians. 

Dr.  Bausman  was  again  elected  to  the  Foreign  Board  in  1878, 
at  the  General  Synod  made  notable  by  the  Peace  Movement, 
and  he  served  until  1893. 

It  was  Dr.  Bausman's  privilege  to  have  part  in  the  election  of 
the  Reformed  Church's  first  missionary  to  Japan,  the  Rev.  A. 
D.  Gring,  in  September,  1878,  and  to  participate  officially  in  the 
incorporation  of  the  Board, 


332  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

During  the  fifteen  years  of  this  second  period  of  service  on  the 
Foreign  Board  nine  missionaries  were  chosen  and  sent,  and  he 
saw  the  Church's  contributions  to  the  cause  rise  to  over  $25,000 
a  year.  The  early  years  of  this  enterprise  were  full  of  perplex- 
ing problems  and  there  were  features  of  unusual  annoyance; 
but  Dr.  Bausman  wrought  with  men  who  builded  well  in  the 
foundation  work  of  the  really  great  missionary  institutions  at 
Sendai,  Japan. 

Dr.  D.  B.  Schneder,  the  president  of  North  Japan  College,  who 
with  his  wife  was  commissioned  to  the  foreign  field  in  1887, 
writes  of  Dr.  Bausman: 

I  think  it  was  he  that  turned  the  scale  in  favor  of  my  appoint- 
ment as  a  missionary.  The  Board  was  not  sure  whether  any 
one  could  be  sent  at  that  time.  When  Mrs.  Schneder  and  I 
were  about  to  start  for  Japan  the  second  time  a  farewell  meet- 
ing was  held  in  the  Sunday-school  room  of  St.  Paul's.  We  were 
on  the  platform,  and  at  the  conclusion  he  prayed  for  us  a  prayer 
we  have  not  forgotten,  and  then  he  lifted  his  hands  over  us  and 
gave  us  his  benediction.  That  hallowing  scene  abides  with  us 
and  we  are  thankful. 

Dr.  Bausman  and  his  church  were  always  most  liberal  sup- 
porters of  the  foreign  missionary  cause.  St.  Paul's  gave  a  son 
to  the  foreign  field,  the  Rev.  Henry  K.  Miller.  In  Dr.  Bausman's 
will  $5,000  was  designated  for  the  Foreign  Board. 

The  high  test  of  a  pastor's  work  is  the  spirit  which  remains 
with  his  people  after  he  is  gone.  No  finer  tribute  can  be  paid  to 
the  thoroughness  with  which  Dr.  Bausman  indoctrinated  and  im- 
bued his  people  with  essential  Christianity  and  the  missionary 
purpose  than  the  splendid  response  of  St.  Paul's  Church  to  the 
call  of  the  Laymen's  Missionary  Movement.  How  glad  it  would 
have  made  his  heart  had  he  lived  to  see  it.  St.  Paul's  congregation 
is  now  contributing  to  foreign  missions  alone,  $100  every  month. 
The  annual  contributions  of  the  congregation  to  benevolence 
as  a  rule  exceed  those  to  ordinary  congregational  purposes. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

Characteristics 

^'"r\R.  BAUSMAN  was  a  gentleman,  every  inch  a  man;  yes,  he 
^^  was  a  good  man. "  In  these  words  Father  Borneman,  the 
distinguished  Monsignor  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  in 
Reading,  characterizes  him.  Father  Borneman  came  to  Read- 
ing in  1867  and  has  done  a  great  work  for  his  Church.  Catholic 
and  Protestant  differ  radically  on  many  things,  but  these  two 
great  leaders  had  the  highest  regard  each  for  the  other.  The 
above  judgment  on  Dr.  Bausman  is  expressed  by  many  another 
in  words  quite  similar.  The  gentleness,  kindliness  and  human 
sympathy  of  the  man  are  the  qualities  which  have  immediately 
impressed  the  people  who  came  to  know  him.  However,  no  one 
gauged  him  at  all  rightly  if  he  did  not  recognize  the  virile  force- 
fulness  of  his  character.  This  was  fundamental.  He  was  first 
of  all  a  man  of  ideals  and  convictions  which  were  finely  embodied 
in  his  full-orbed  personality. 

When  we  look  more  closely  into  Dr.  Bausman's  personal  con- 
stitution, we  find  his  most  striking  characteristic  in  an  exquisite 
sensitiveness.  As  Dr.  Charles  E.  Creitz  puts  it:  "The  outside 
world  had  easy  access  to  his  soul.  The  trees  spoke  to  him.  The 
rivers  sang  to  him.  A  beautiful  sunset  flooded  his  soul.  A  kind- 
ness touched  him  profoundly.  A  thrust  hurt  him  to  the  quick." 
Even  as  Dr.  Bausman  himself  on  one  occasion  wrote,  "Body 
and  spirit  crushed  by  an  unkind  remark." 

This  delicate  impressibility  was  fortunately  coupled  with  a 
strong  will  with  which  to  realize  his  passion  for  righteousness 
and  holiness,  otherwise  he  would  have  slunk  into  seclusion  and 
become  an  inefficient  solitary.  God's  beautiful  world  was  of 
interest  to  him  at  every  point  and  everything  human  appealed 
to  him.     It  was  easy  for  him  to  sympathize  with  all  classes  and 


334  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

conditions  of  men.  This  made  him  liable  to  keen  pain  at  the  sins 
and  sufferings  of  people,  but  was  the  verj'-  quality  which  enabled 
him  to  help  them.  He  recognized  and  honored  truth  and  vir- 
tue wherever  he  saw  them.  It  was,  therefore,  impossible  for 
him  to  be  a  partisan.  Dr.  Bausman  was  "a  comprehensive 
character,"  who  as  Bushnell  says,  "is  the  only  really  great  char- 
acter possible  among  men." 

Reared  in  the  country,  his  delight  in  it  never  left  him.  Al- 
ready in  his  student  days  he  exclaimed  on  a  visit  to  Baltimore: 
"I  cannot  bear  these  crowded  cities  where  a  person  has  hardly 
room  to  breathe."  Spring  and  summer,  fall  and  winter  always 
had  a  message  for  him  which  found  expression  in  articles  and 
sermons.  He  knew  the  birds  and  trees.  He  was  passionately 
fond  of  flowers ;  but  was  readily  sickened  by  too  rich  a  fragrance 
when  bouquets  were  confined  in  home  or  church.  He  had  a 
favorite  flower.  He  wrote  of  it  for  the  Guardian  in  one  of  his 
earliest  articles: 

It  is  commonly  called  mignonette,  which  being  interpreted, 
means  "a  little  darling."  I  prefer  the  English  name,  since  it  is 
useful  and  pleasant  to  speak  in  a  known  tongue.  No  word  in 
the  language  could  so  well  express  my  warm  affection  for  this 
plant,  as  that  of  "a  little  darling."  It  is  like  a  sacred  vase,  the 
depository  of  sweet-scented  memories  of  the  past.  It  is  very 
modest  and  unpretending,  but  I  am  partial  to  modesty. 

I  have  no  ill  feelings  toward  any  of  its  rivals.  Not  that  I  love 
them  less,  but  this  more.  And  my  present  zeal  has  been  prompted 
by  a  most  benevolent  motive — a  desire  to  secure  a  suitable  re- 
ward for  humble  worth. 

Like  Phillips  Brooks,  Dr.  Bausman  was  acutely  affected  by  the 
weather.  A  bright  day  exhilarated  him  and  he  could  work  with 
facility  and  power;  a  dark  day  beclouded  his  spirit  and  clogged 
the  wheels  of  thought.  Notes  like  these  we  find  in  the  diary: 
"Heavily  clouded,  dreary  day  which  depressed  me."  Of  a  Sun- 
day: "Felt  poorly  prepared.  Cloudy,  rainy  weather,  nearly 
the  whole  of  last  week  unfitted  me  for  clear-headed  study. 
The  Lord  helped  me."  Mrs.  Yundt  tells  how  she  came  into 
his  study  one  gloomy  day  when  he  was  laboring  at  his  desk, 
and  he  exclaimed  with  eager  gladness  on  seeing  her:  "You're 
a  sunbeam  to  me  this  morning." 


CHARACTERISTICS  335 

We  can  easily  understand  how  a  nature  so  delicately  wrought 
would  be  readily  annoyed  by  the  discords  of  life.  If  he  sat  in  the 
pew,  a  failure  to  get  the  text  clearly  from  the  preacher  would 
disturb  him  and  seriously  mar  the  sermon.  An  unaccustomed 
height  or  arrangement  of  a  pulpit  was  likewise  a  disturbing  cir- 
cumstance. His  aversion  to  appearing  in  strange  pulpits  and 
before  congregations  other  than  his  own  grew  upon  him  with 
the  years.  He  "tried  to  be  excused  from  speaking  but  had  to 
yield,"  at  the  funeral  of  his  warm  old  friend,  Dr.  Higbee,  in 
1889.  All  who  heard  him  will  probably  very  well  remember 
the  effectiveness  with  which  he  spoke.  He  commented  on  the 
event,  "I  pray  God  I  may  not  sin  by  shrinking  from  duties  of 
this  kind." 

An  atmosphere  of  sympathy  and  confidence  opened  the  foun- 
tains of  his  speech.  The  presence  of  unbelievers  or  unsympa- 
thetic critics  in  his  audience  were  an  immediate  check  to  his 
eloquence.  He  was  never  more  at  home  than  in  a  small  gather- 
ing of  congenial  spirits.  In  a  large  social  company  in  which  were 
people  whom  he  did  not  know,  he  was  shy,  unresponsive  and 
awkward. 

Dr.  Stahr  tells  of  a  plan  in  Reading  to  organize  a  society  for 
the  discussion  of  general  themes  of  human  interest,  analogous 
to  the  Cliosophic  Society  of  Lancaster.  Dr.  Bausman  was 
naturally  looked  to  for  leadership  in  such  a  project.  He  would 
have  no  part  in  it,  however,  nor  would  he  join  such  a  society, 
because  he  was  quite  sure  there  would  be  expressions  of  opinion 
which  would  jar  his  sensitive.  Christian  spirit  and  make  him 
very  uncomfortable.  This  attitude  had  in  it  nothing  of  narrow- 
mindedness.  He  was  not  a  bigot.  He  was  glad  to  acknowledge 
the  good  in  persons  of  any  or  of  no  behef .  For  his  own  peace  of 
mind,  however,  he  must  simply  avoid  being  sponsor  for  or  sanc- 
tioning in  any  way  an  organization  in  which  ideas  at  variance 
with  such  as  he  regarded  vital  were  sure  to  be  expressed. 

While  Dr.  Bausman's  feelings  would  be  readily  injured  through 
things  said  and  done  by  others,  he  suffered  far  more  keenly  when 
he  himself,  even  inadvertently,  might  hurt  the  feelings  of  another. 
His  exceptional  tact  guarded  him  wonderfully  from  giving  of- 
fense, but  it  was  impossible  for  an  aggressive  preacher  and  leader 


336  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

always  to  avoid  it.     One  Sunday  morning  something  happened 
and  he  wrote  the  following  the  same  evening  in  his  diary: 

In  great  mental  distress  this  P.  M.,  because  told  that  I  had  hurt 
the  feelings  of  a  lady;  although  innocent,  yet  in  agony.  Repeat- 
edly wrestled  with  God  on  my  knees.  After  services  this  even- 
ing, her  husband  told  me  it  was  all  right.     Felt  so  thankful. 

On  one  occasion  he  exchanged  the  names  of  two  young  men  in 
baptizing  them  and  rectified  the  mistake  soon  thereafter  by  re- 
baptizing  them.     His  feelings  in  the  interval  are  thus  expressed : 

One  of  the  catechumens  troubled  because  I  gave  him  the  wrong 
name  in  baptism.  I  suffered  exceedingly  in  bodily  and  mental 
depression  between  Sunday-school  and  P.  M.  church.  O  what 
anguish!  It  drove  me  very  close  to  God,  so  that  He  gave  me 
great  liberty  in  the  evening  sermon  and  after  that  more  comfort 
in  body  and  mind. 

He  once  admonished  a  disorderly  class  before  the  Sunday- 
school,  and  said:  "It  gave  me  such  a  nervous  shock,  that  I  was 
in  great  mental  agony  for  a  few  hours. "  Painful  as  such  a 
duty  might  be  he  nevertheless  would  not  refrain  from  doing  it. 

It  is  the  custom  in  Reading  to  publish  in  the  newspapers  the 
names  of  those  confirmed  from  time  to  time  in  the  various 
churches.  No  doubt,  the  primary  reason  for  this  practice  is  the 
enterprise  of  the  newspapers.  The  ministers  generally  feel,  how- 
ever, that  there  is  moral  value  for  the  converts  in  having  it 
widely  known  when  they  vow  their  allegiance  to  Christ  and  the 
Church  in  confirmation.  Dr.  Bausman  always  stoutly  refused 
to  give  the  names  of  his  catechumens  to  the  reporters,  even 
though  they  would  sometimes  circumvent  him  and  secure  the 
names  from  another  source.  His  motive  and  judgment  mani- 
festly were  that  in  that  most  solemn  transaction  when  a  soul 
confesses  Christ  and  gives  itself  to  God,  there  is  too  much  sacred- 
ness  to  have  the  fact  bandied  about  in  the  secular  papers.  So 
too,  some  of  the  parties  concerned  might  shrink  from  such  pub- 
licity. Moreover,  in  publishing  these  names  there  might  be 
manifest  a  strain  of  pride  and  selfishness  on  the  part  of  the 
minister  in  making  public  his  own  successes.  This  was  loathing 
to  his  soul.     He  realized  the  importance  of  having  the  facts  of 


CHARACTERISTICS  337 

congregational  life  published  in  the  church  papers,  for  the  in- 
terest and  inspiration  of  the  denomination.  We  recall  how  he 
urged  this  when  editor  of  the  Messenger,  and  when  editor  of  the 
Hausfreund.  Yet,  he  would  sometimes  hint  at  the  indelicacy 
of  publishing  certain  congregational  news  in  the  church  paper 
because  one  might  be  "blowing  his  own  horn." 

Those  familiar  with  Dr.  Bausman's  writing  and  speaking 
know  very  well  that  his  strength  in  both  came  from  a  certain 
vividness  of  observation  and  keenness  of  experience,  whence 
followed  his  perennial  freshness  of  expression.  Yet,  as  one  looks 
more  carefully  into  his  writings  throughout  his  life,  he  is  impressed 
with  the  author's  eagerness  to  keep  himself  in  the  back  ground. 
We  will  recall  the  various  pen-names  under  which  he  wrote  in 
his  earlier  years  and  how  he  tried  to  conceal  his  identity  on  the 
editorial  page.  Even  in  the  Guardian,  where  all  articles  were 
signed,  assumed  names  were  given  to  characters  which  were 
none  other  than  himself.  Thus,  his  native  modesty  and  the 
grace  of  humility  showed  themselves.  When  he  was  eighty 
years  old,  he  preached  a  sermon  on  "A  Page  from  the  Life  of  a 
Patriarch"  and  wrote  of  it: 

I  tried  to  draw  some  lessons  from  the  life  of  Jacob,  without 
saying  much  about  myself.  In  the  latter,  I  failed  to  my  dis- 
comfort. This  feeling  of  an  unwise  reference  to  myself  produced 
a  distressing  reaction  upon  my  nerves  during  the  afternoon. 
This  evening  I  again  felt  calm  and  comfortable. 

Dr.  Bausman's  feelings  were  so  sharp  that  it  was  impossible 
for  him  to  disguise  them.  Through  and  through,  he  was  as 
transparent  and  true  as  a  limpid  pool.  When  pleased  he  was 
radiant  as  the  morning  sim.  His  efforts  at  veiling  his  displeasure 
were  poorly  successful.  He  would  be  grieved  to  think  that 
another  would  be  made  uncomfortable  through  his  distress,  but 
this  could  not  always  be  avoided.  He  confessed  freely  to  have 
been  a  very  "uncompanionable  man,"  when  seasick  on  the 
Mediterranean  on  his  way  to  the  Holy  Land.  We  hope  it  gave 
hm  no  compunction.  He  said:  "I  did  not  learn  to  know  the 
young  merchant  from  Hamburg  in  the  stateroom  with  myself 
until  we  had  reached  Cairo." 
22 


338  THE   LIFE   OF  BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

When  there  were  moral  grounds  for  his  displeasure,  it  was 
a  phase  of  his  power  and  influence  that  he  was  emphatically 
true  to  his  feelings.  During  his  early  years  in  Reading  he  at- 
tended an  organ  dedication  at  a  country  church,  preaching  in 
the  morning  and  intending  to  remain  also  for  the  services  of  the 
afternoon.  There  was  assembled  "a.  great  crowd,  yet  the 
church  was  not  full.  The  mass  outside  with  the  hucksters. 
Felt  much  annoyed  at  it.     Worse  this  P.  M.;  left  immediately." 

Dr.  Bausman  had  in  his  nature  a  quality  which  we  may  call 
openness.     Of  this  Dr.  Creitz  says: 

He  had  nothing  to  conceal.  In  fact,  he  was  always  frank. 
His  inner  life  was  reflected  in  his  outward  manner.  He  could  be 
seen  and  read  of  all  men.  Of  many  people,  we  are  not  sure.  They 
look  all  right,  and  yet  we  don't  quite  trust  them.  This  was 
never  true  of  Dr.  Bausman. 

This  same  ingenuousness  is  shown  in  his  disposition  to  tears, 
as  we  see  so  often  in  his  life  story.  The  core  of  Dr.  Bausman's 
nature  was  his  tender  heart.  Every  perception  and  experience 
were  at  once  suffused  in  its  genial  warmth.  The  reaction,  whether 
of  keen  pleasure  or  sorrow,  or  of  holy  memory  would  come  in 
tears.  He  realized  the  promise  of  the  Psalmist,  "They  that  sow 
in  tears  shall  reap  in  joy."  How  often  do  we  find  expressions 
like  these:  "Tears  were  the  only  relief;"  "could  weep,  then  felt 
better."     In  this  he  was  like  a  child. 

His  fondness  for  children  has  been  noted.  Nothing  pleased 
him  more  than  when  a  little  child  would  stop  him  on  the  street 
and  take  hold  of  his  "big,  bony  hand."  He  indeed  became  more 
childlike  with  passing  years.  He  had  a  mother's  tenderness, 
and  a  precision  of  instinct  which  is  the  more  characteristic  of 
women. 

"The  more  numerous  and  repugnant  the  extremes  of  character 
excepting  those  which  are  sinful,  you  are  able  to  unite  in  one 
comprehensive  and  harmonious  whole,  the  more  finished  and  com- 
plete your  character  will  be."  These  words  of  Horace  Bushnell 
are  strikingly  illustrated  in  various,  apparently  contradictory 
phases  of  Dr.  Bausman's  character. 

There  was  a  native  shyness  and  timidity  in  him  and  yet  a  fine 
fearlessness   and  noble   courage   when   duty   called.     This    was 


CHARACTERISTICS  339 

manifest  in  both  the  physical  and  the  moral  realms.  He  had 
real  adventures  in  his  travels,  particularly  in  Palestine,  when 
he  climbed  to  dangerous  heights  on  Sinai  and  when  he  was  in 
imminent  "perils  of  robbers."  He  was  quick  to  discern  danger. 
He  was  averse  to  riding  in  an  automobile  and  could  be  prevailed 
on  to  do  so  but  once.  It  was  not  easy  for  him  to  antagonize 
people  and  incur  their  enmity  or  even  to  go  against  the  wishes 
of  friends.  Yet  he  knew  how  to  say  "no"  and  never  hesitated 
when  he  felt  he  should.  We  will  recall  his  experiences  while  edi- 
tor of  the  Messenger,  when  in  the  Liturgical  Controversy  he  had 
to  close  the  columns  even  to  his  best  friends  because  they  would 
not  refrain  from  personalities.  Some  people  never  forgave  him 
for  certain  things  which  he  was  obliged  to  do  in  connection  with 
the  old  graveyard  when  he  was  pastor  of  the  First  Church  in 
Reading.  His  fearless  preaching  won  the  admiration  of  those 
who  honor  a  brave  man.  He  was  not  a  fanatical  temperance 
man.  He  would  not  hesitate  to  take  liquors  for  medicinal  uses; 
but  his  temperance  sermons  were  powerful.  The  standard 
among  church  members  regarding  the  use  of  liquors,  and  regard- 
ing the  Hquor  traffic  is  none  too  high  in  Eastern  Pennsylvania. 
A  minister  who  takes  high  positive  ground  will  be  made  to  feel  it. 
To  do  this  now  is  much  easier  than  forty  years  ago;  but  Dr. 
Bausman  did  not  hesitate  and,  of  course,  he  suffered  the  conse- 
quences. In  the  spring  of  1889  he  had  "a  sermon  on  Prohibi- 
tion to  be  voted  on,  June  18th.  Tried  to  be  courteous  and  kind 
yet  decided, "  he  wrote  in  his  diary. 

In  the  Hausfreund  particularly,  he  assailed  in  language  not  to 
be  mistaken  the  social  immoralities  amongst  the  young  people 
of  its  constituency.  An  evil-minded  man  would  hardly  persist 
in  reciting  foul  or  questionable  stories  in  Dr.  Bausman's  presence, 
for  he  would  be  sure  to  feel  his  auditor's  disapproval.  Such  a 
rebuke,  in  the  mind  of  one  minister  of  the  Reformed  Church,  is 
associated  with  his  seeing  Dr.  Bausman  for  the  first  time  at  a 
General  Synod  meeting  over  forty  years  ago.  This  minister  was 
then  a  young  man  and  Dr.  Bausman  in  company  with  a  group 
of  delegates  was  pointed  out  to  him.  As  he  drew  near  to  the 
group  one  of  their  number  told  an  off-color  joke  which  Dr.  Baus- 
man with  emphatic  disgust  immediately  declared  was  "a  naughty 
story." 


340  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

Some  people  will  still  recall  what  was  considered  an  unusually 
courageous  utterance  in  his  sermon  on  the  death  of  Lincoln. 
FeeUng  ran  high  with  indignation  against  any  slightest  criticism 
on  word  or  deed  of  the  martyred  President.  After  a  glowing 
tribute  to  the  statesman  who  solved  the  "gigantic  problems 
thrust  upon  him,  sufhcient  to  baffle  the  greatest  genius  that  his- 
tory furnishes,"  and  a  fine  appreciation  of  Lincoln's  character, 
Dr.  Bausman  said : 

He  was  a  plain  outspoken  man.  Truth  and  fairness  demand  of 
me,  as  a  religious  teacher,  to  be  the  same.  I  deeply  regret  one 
feature  of  this  assassination.  If  heaven  must  permit  the  murder, 
I  had  rather  it  would  not  have  happened  in  the  theatre,  and  least 
of  all  in  the  theatre  on  that  solemn  night,  when  the  whole  Christian 
world  commemorated  the  bitter  passion  of  the  world's  Redeemer. 
This  gives  the  keener  edge  to  our  sorrow.  May  God  prevent  this 
circumstance  from  inflicting  a  damage  upon  the  morals  of  the 
nation. 

Dr.  Bausman  could  say  and  do  things  which  many  persons 
would  not  even  dare  to  attempt,  because  people  believed  his 
motives  were  always  pure.  Few  men  knew  him  so  well  as  Mr. 
Daniel  Miller,  who  was  in  almost  daily  association  with  him  for 
about  forty  years.     Mr.  Miller  says: 

Dr.  Bausman  was  a  sincere  man.  This  was  the  universal 
impression  of  the  community.  Everybody  regarded  him  as  a 
true  man  of  God.  No  matter  how  people  may  have  differed  from 
him,  no  one  ever  questioned  his  honesty  of  purpose.  It  is  safe  to 
say  that  no  man  in  our  city  ever  enjoyed  this  distinction  to  a 
greater  degree  than  he.  There  is  no  doubt  that  it  was  this 
characteristic  which  gave  him  such  a  firm  hold  upon  the  people. 

Another  leading  member  of  Dr.  Bausman's  church  for  many 
years  says,  "He  was  the  sincerest  man  I  ever  knew." 

An  incident  showing  his  integrity  in  a  trying  situation  in  one 
of  his  pastorates  is  alluded  to  in  the  following  diary  note: 

Had  a  special  meeting  of  the  Consistory  after  church  this  P.  M. 
The  most  members  wish  to  let  our  bonds  in  the  Savings  Bank  be 
sold  at  auction,  possibly  to  the  loss  of  depositors.  I  protested 
against  it.  Felt  so  much  wounded  that  it  threw  me  into  a  kind 
of  tremor.  Withdrew  before  the  adjournment.  Oh  my  God,  save 
us  from  doing  this  wrong! 


CHARACTERISTICS  341 

He  said  to  one  of  his  members  regarding  the  same  matter,  "I'll 
be  pastor  of  no  fifty  cent  church.  Dollar  for  dollar.  I'll  rather 
pay  the  entire  $5,000  myself." 

A  few  years  before  Dr.  Bausman's  death  the  Ministerial  As- 
sociation of  Reading  made  itself  responsible  for  the  money  need- 
ful in  order  that  the  Law  and  Order  Society  might  prosecute 
certain  persistent  lawbreakers  in  the  city.  The  Society  pro- 
ceeded with  prosecutions  which  entailed  a  greater  expenditure 
of  money  than  was  anticipated.  There  remained  a  debt  which 
was  reduced  from  time  to  time  by  the  contributions  of  some  of 
the  churches ;  but  for  several  years  a  few  hundred  dollars  stood 
in  obligations  against  the  Association.  St.  Paul's  had  more  than 
done  its  part.  Dr.  Bausman  was  not  even  a  prime  mover  in 
the  action  which  made  the  Ministerial  Association  financially  re- 
sponsible for  the  Law  and  Order  Society's  undertaking.  This 
situation,  however,  worried  him.  He  would  say  at  nearly  every 
meeting: 

Brethren,  how  about  this  debt  from  the  Law  and  Order  League? 
Come,  let  us  pay  it  off.  It  looks  bad  to  have  it  standing  so  long. 
Some  of  our  churches  have  already  given  toward  it;  but  let  us  all 
give  again  and  wipe  it  out. 

His  persistent  prodding  brought  the  desired  result  in  due  time. 
How  finely  keen  was  his  sense  of  individual  responsibility  in  this 
corporate  obligation!  His  consciousness  of  duty  was  not  satis- 
fied even  though  his  church  had  paid  more  than  its  pro  rata  share. 
How  needful  is  a  spirit  like  this  in  the  interwoven,  complicated 
relationships  of  modern  business  and  Ufe. 

We  do  not  believe  any  pure-motived  man  ever  intimated  that 
any  action  with  which  Dr.  Bausman  had  to  do  was  in  the  slight- 
est way  "shady."  His  conscience  was  too  remorseless  to  per- 
mit even  the  appearance  of  evil.  He  had  such  penetratmg 
knowledge  of  human  nature  and  such  far-seeing  moral  discern- 
ment that  he  was  not  liable  to  become  entangled  in  any  com- 
promising situation.  His  faith  in  tried  men  was  well-nigh  ab- 
solute and  was  a  secret  of  his  leadership.  He  was  in  no  sense  of 
a  suspicious  nature,  yet  he  was  quick  to  discern  a  lurking  trick 
or  the  possibility  of  moral  embarrassment.     He  had  a  decided 


342  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

attitude  against  irresponsible  agents  of  far-away  religious  causes, 
when  they  came  without  denominational  connection  or  valid 
credentials.  He  was  not  soon  deceived  by  pious  words  or  man- 
ners. No  doubt  his  wisdom  was  attained  through  experience. 
He  was  unusually  gifted  with  the  grace  of  common  sense. 

Mr,  Daniel  Miller's  long  association  with  Dr.  Bausman  gives 
the  words  which  follow  pecuhar  weight: 

He  was  a  man  of  rare,  good  judgment  which  he  showed  on 
many  occasions.  For  this  reason,  people  followed  him  readily. 
Many  had  greater  confidence  in  his  judgment  than  in  their  own. 
He  could  see  farther  than  most  men.  It  would  be  difficult  to 
point  to  a  single  instance  and  show  that  his  judgment  was  other- 
wise than  stated  above.  People  will  follow  a  man  in  whom  they 
have  confidence  as  a  leader,  and  such  our  departed  friend  was. 

Those  who  knew  Dr.  Bausman  longest  are  the  ones  who  ad- 
mired him  most  and  when  one  speaks  with  them  he  is  almost 
sure  to  hear  superlatives  like  these: 

Oh,  he  was  the  finest  character  in  town. 

I  often  said,  if  there  is  one  Christian  man  in  Reading,  it's  Dr. 
Bausman, 

He  was  the  most  perfect  Christian  I  ever  knew.  I  never  found 
a  flaw  in  him. 

Any  one  who  has  followed  the  story  of  Dr.  Bausman's  life  and 
work  in  the  foregoing  chapters  is  in  no  doubt  as  to  the  secret 
of  his  character.     We  will  let  Dr.  Creitz  express  it  for  us  here: 

Men  believed  in  Dr.  Bausman  because  they  saw  in  him  a  man 
who  tried  to  live  near  to  God,  and  succeeded  better  than  most 
men  do.  He  was  acquainted  with  God,  He  was  God-conscious 
to  an  unusual  degree,  God  was  to  him  a  living  reality  in  his 
daily  life.  He  was  on  familiar  terms  with  God,  though  he  held 
Him  in  the  highest  reverence;  familiarity  and  reverence — that 
describes  his  attitude  toward  God.  Who,  that  ever  heard  his 
prayers  can  forget  their  simplicity,  their  childlike  tone,  their 
familiar  accent.  But  who  also,  that  ever  saw  him  conduct  a  pub- 
lic or  private  service,  or  administer  the  holy  sacrament  can  forget 
the  sense  of  awe  and  holy  reverence  which  pervaded  his  every 
act.  One  always  felt  on  such  occasions  that  he  believed  himself 
to  be  standing  on  holy  ground. 


CHARACTERISTICS  343 

Prayer  was  the  very  breath  of  Dr.  Bausman's  spiritual  Hfe. 
God  was  his  constant  companion.  His  sense  of  the  mercy  of 
the  Lord  was  sometimes  overpowering.  He  was  instant  in  cul- 
tivating the  divine  friendship,  and  the  tender  goodness  of  his 
heavenly  Father  was  ever  filling  him  with  fresh  and  glad  sur- 
prise. He  had  a  natural  aptitude  for  spiritual  things  and  a 
heritage  and  nurture  in  youth  of  rare  advantage,  so  that  no 
doubt  to  many  it  seemed  easy  for  him  to  be  good.  His  eminence 
in  holiness,  however,  was  a  gift  from  above  by  reason  of  his  ar- 
dent aspiration,  vigilant  self-scrutiny  and  rigorous  self-discipline. 
Like  the  Psalmist,  he  had  set  the  Lord  always  before  him  and 
therefore  on  all  occasions  the  call  of  duty,  ''Stern  daughter  of 
the  voice  of  God,"  must  be  followed,  particularly  touching  his 
own  moral  and  spiritual  integrity.  He  was  always  severer  with 
himself  than  with  any  other.  He  was  constantly  criticising 
himself  and  was  fearful  lest  he  should  be  guilty  of  wrongly  judg- 
ing others.  Any  practice  that  might  mar  the  soul  or  rob  him  of 
poise  or  self-mastery  he  strove  to  overcome. 

He  used  to  smoke  in  the  earlier  years  of  his  ministry.  It  was 
an  aid  to  good  fellowship  with  his  friends.  He  found  a  cigar 
helpful  in  quieting  his  nerves  for  sleep  after  a  strenuous  Sun- 
day's work.  It  was  a  harmless  sedative.  He  used  the  weed 
very  moderately  and  could  say  with  Spurgeon  that  he  "smoked 
for  the  glory  of  God."  As  a  physical  help  and  comfort  to  him 
some  of  his  friends  say  he  should  not  have  discontinued  it. 
But  he  did,  and  for  this  reason: 

I  found  myself  getting  a  gro^v^ng  fondness  for  my  Sunday 
evening  smoke.  I  was  desiring  to  use  more  cigars  than  had  been 
my  habit.  I  caught  myself,  even  of  a  Sunday  afternoon  and  dur- 
ing the  singing  of  hymns  at  the  evening  service,  looking  forward 
with  desire  and  impatience  to  the  pleasure  of  smoking  before 
going  to  bed.  I  was  afraid  my  cigar  might  get  the  upper  hand  of 
me,  and  therefore  I  quit  smoking  altogether. 

This  decision,  from  which  he  never  wavered,  was  made  in  1885, 
after  having  taken  but  a  few  out  of  a  newly  purchased  box  full 
of  cigars. 

He  was  by  no  means  an  ascetic.  He  had  the  keen  relish  of 
a  healthy  man  for  the  good  material  things  of  life,  believing  that 


344  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

God  "giveth  us  richly  all  things  to  enjoy."  He  was  blessed 
with  a  good  appetite  for  food  to  the  last  and  ate  heartily  of  what- 
ever was  set  before  him.  Within  fifteen  years  of  the  end  of  his 
life,  he  was  in  New  Jersey  several  days  representing  his  Church 
before  another  denominational  gathering.  After  returning 
home,  he  wrote  naively  in  his  diary,  "First  good  meal  since  I 
left."  He  would  facetiously  remark  that  the  reason  why  his 
beard  became  gray  before  the  hair  of  his  head  was  because  he 
used  his  jaws  more  than  his  brains. 

Dr.  Bausman  believed  that  pleasure  and  laughter  were  not 
only  natural  to  the  normal  man  but  absolutely  essential  to  phys- 
ical and  mental  health.  Yet,  as  Dr.  Richards  says,  he  submitted 
himself  to  ''an  almost  stoical  discipline  continuing  through  life." 
He  was  regular  in  his  habits  of  retiring  and  rising,  of  eating  and 
taking  exercise.  He  never  ceased  studying  himself  and  would 
practice  any  regimen  which  would  give  him  physical  tone  and 
efficiency.  When  he  was  past  sixty  he  found  that  a  cold  bath 
every  morning  immediately  after  rising  was  good  for  him,  and  he 
took  it  regularly  to  within  a  few  years  of  the  end  of  his  life.  He 
read  books  on  how  to  grow  old.  Without  the  minute  care  which 
he  bestowed  upon  himself,  he  certainly  could  not  have  lived 
nearly  so  long  nor  done  his  immense  amount  of  work.  His  con- 
stitution was  not  naturally  robust.  He  had  his  physical  limita- 
tions of  which  nature  was  quick  to  tell  him,  but  he  was  unusually 
successful  in  conserving  and  making  the  most  of  the  vitality 
which  he  had.  A  phase  of  his  physical  history  which  is  very 
marked  and  amazed  even  his  physician  was  the  quickness  and 
completeness  with  which  he  would  succumb  to  disease  and  his 
surprising  resilience  in  recovery.  A  few  days  after  being  ap- 
parently at  death's  door,  he  would  be  strong  again  and  as  hard 
at  work  as  ever. 

He  practiced  his  belief  that  honest  toil  is  wholesome  and  that, 
too,,  was  a  secret  of  his  long  life.  In  the  midst  of  Dr.  Bausman's 
most  strenuous  years,  soon  after  becoming  editor  of  the  Guard- 
ian, he  afiirmed  this  article  of  his  faith  in  a  contribution  on  Michael 
Angelo  which  he  entitled  "A  Grand  and  Working  Life." 

It  is  probable  that  work  kills  some  people.  But  oftener,  it  is 
the  want  of  it.     Work  is  strengthening.     It  inures  to  hardship. 


CHARACTERISTICS  345 

It  develops  power.  In  most  cases,  hard  work  lengthens  life.  An 
alleged  fear  of  hurting  ourselves  is  an  easy,  but  not  a  wise  method 
to  escape  it.     By  far  more  people  rust  out  than  wear  out. 

Dr.  Bausman  had  set  himself  to  do  a  certain  work  with  the 
greatest  possible  efficiency.  All  his  powers  were  concentrated 
upon  it.  Anything  that  in  any  way  would  interefere  with  his 
success  must  be  eliminated.  Many  a  pleasure  was  foregone 
because  it  would  have  consumed  valuable  time,  or  would  have 
claimed  energy  which  could  be  used  to  more  profit.  Yet  rec- 
reation was  regularly  and  religiously  taken,  for  he  must  keep 
himself  in  prime  working  trim.  To  take  proper  care  of  the  body 
it  has  been  said  is  one  of  the  finest  tests  of  will  power  and  of  self- 
mastery.     Few  men  stood  this  test  better  than  Dr.  Bausman. 

Horseback  riding  as  we  have  seen  was  his  favorite  recreation. 
In  his  latter  years,  however,  he  preferred  a  milder  form  of  ex- 
ercise. As  a  faithful  pastor,  he  always  did  a  great  deal  of  walk- 
ing, but  the  charm  of  country  and  wood  allured  him  to  many  a 
pleasure  stroll.  Indeed,  he  attributed  his  good  health  while  in 
Reading,  in  no  small  measure  to  his  walks  on  the  hills  and  to  the 
wholesome  mountain  air.  He  was  fond  of  fishing,  but  lacked  the 
necessary  patience  for  a  successful  angler.  It  was  our  pleasure 
to  go  fishing  with  him  and  his  brother  in  the  Conestoga  near 
Lancaster,  on  a  warm  summer  day.  The  brother  was  persistent, 
but  the  cool  shade  with  a  fresh  copy  of  the  "Christian  World" 
soon  proved  more  inviting  to  Dr.  Bausman  than  watching  the 
lazy  cork.  In  his  latter  years  on  warm  days  he  would  often 
take  trolley  rides  over  the  Penn  and  Neversink  mountains.  Even 
in  winter  he  would  go  by  trolley  to  the  country  "for  ventila- 
tion," and  then  after  a  short  stroll  return.  When  prevented  by 
bad  weather  or  unable  by  infirmity  to  go  out  of  doors,  he  would 
walk  about  in  his  bed-room  and  study,  counting  his  paces  until 
he  had  covered  the  requisite  number  of  "squares." 

Carriage  riding  was  always  a  fascinating  pastime  and  he  was 
free  to  "confess  an  infirm  fondness  for  fine  and  fat  horses"  and 
"for  holding  the  reins."  The  horse  was  his  favorite  animal. 
How  tenderly  he  wrote  of  "the  graceful  dapple-gray"  which  car- 
ried him  from  Jerusalem  to  Beirut: 


346  THE   LIFE   OF  BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

Once  I  was  greatly  horrified  at  the  farce  of  St.  Antonio's  Church, 
in  Rome,  where  a  tittering  priest  blessed  horses  and  mules  and 
sprinkled  them  with  holy  water.  Despite  the  memory  of  that 
sacred  mockery,  I  cherish  such  a  kindly  feeling  for  that  Arabian 
horse,  that  if  a  prayer  of  my  heart  could  secure  to  him  the  happi- 
est life  which  his  kind  has  the  capacity  to  enjoy,  I  would  be  tempted 
to  offer  it  in  his  behalf. 

Dr.  Bausman  was  broad-minded  in  his  views  on  amusements. 
Realizing  the  need  of  relaxation  for  himself,  he  was  made  happy 
when  he  saw  others  enjoying  it.  He  would  put  the  ban  on 
amusement  at  the  line  of  moral  peril  and  none  saw  the  beginnings 
of  danger  sooner  than  he.  His  feeling  for  those  who  lived  for 
pleasure  only  was  nigh  unto  contempt.  Yet  he  could  have  a 
degree  of  sympathizing  charity  for  the  drudging  toiler  whose 
"glass  of  beer  was  his  only  pleasure,"  much  as  he  disapproved 
of  the  drinking  habit.  He  hated  the  Sunday  newspaper  and 
was  an  almost  Puritanical  observer  of  the  Sabbath. 

His  physician  says,  "He  could  talk  baseball  like  a  fan," 
yet  he  probably  never  saw  a  professional  game.  He  was  a  spec- 
tator at  but  one  football  game,  which  was  played  by  two  bit- 
terly rival  teams.  His  feeling  and  judgment  are  manifest  in  his 
diary  notes: 

Coaxed  along  to  a  football  game.  Thousands  of  people. 
Many  of  the  best  people  of  the  town  were  present.  Many  ladies. 
An  exciting,  brutal  affair.  Some  six  or  more  boys  were  crushed 
to  unconsciousness.  Two  had  to  be  lifted  up  and  led  from  the 
field.     Left  after  first  half  was  played. 

He  did  not  fail  to  record,  however,  that  the  winning  side  was 
the  one  which  manifestly  had  his  sympathies. 

The  drama  appealed  strongly  to  Dr.  Bausman  and  he  saw  the 
educational  as  well  as  the  recreational  values  of  a  chaste  theatre. 
It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  very  few  plays  as  ordinarily 
presented  were  regarded  by  him  as  up  to  the  standard.  Indeed, 
Dr.  Bausman  himself  had  a  fine  dramatic  instinct  and  would 
have  made  a  great  actor.  He  could  hit  off  the  tone,  man- 
ner and  expression  of  another  to  perfection.  His  great  human 
sympathy  was  the  basis  of  this  faculty.  He  could  readily  put 
himself  in  another's  place.     This  trait  added  to  his  effectiveness 


CHARACTERISTICS  347 

as  a  public  speaker,  but  the  proprieties  of  the  pulpit  held  it  in 
check.  Only  in  a  small  congenial  group  of  friends  would  he 
allow  this  bent  to  have  its  full  sway  and  then  his  impersonation 
was  simply  irresistible,  as  he  would  act  out  a  comical  situation. 
This  ability  and  disposition  to  unbend  and  give  himself  to 
harmless  hilarity  was  a  fortunate  characteristic  and  the  neces- 
sary complement  to  the  solemn  seriousness  which  was  the  founda- 
tion of  his  character.     As  Dr.  Richards  says: 

There  was  a  fund  of  humor  in  his  writings  as  well  as  in  his 
addresses.  He  could  sparkle  like  the  sun  on  the  morning  dew. 
With  his  wit  he  could  relieve  the  seriousness  of  many  an  occa- 
sion; and  yet  his  eyes  often  filled  with  tears  and  his  trembling 
voice  showed  the  depth  and  the  sincerity  of  his  soul. 

There  was  a  melancholy  strain  in  his  temperament,  a  trait  one 
finds  frequently  in  great  men.  It  was  the  shade  of  a  deeply 
earnest  manhood,  but  beneath  it  there  coursed  the  warm  feelings 
of  a  genial  soul. 

This  saving  grace  of  humor  never  left  him.  He  would  see  the 
funny  side  of  things  even  in  his  sickness  or  when  greatly  de- 
pressed, and  would  crack  a  joke  in  spite  of  himself.  It  was  a 
fortunate  gift  for  him  and  saved  him  from  hypochondria  and 
pessimism. 

The  Reformed  ministers  of  Reading  will  not  soon  forget  an 
incident,  in  point,  when  they  visited  him  in  a  body  with  greet- 
ings on  his  birthday,  after  his  long  sickness,  a  few  years  before 
his  death.  When  the  formal  tributes  had  been  spoken  and  he 
had  given  his  brief  response  of  gratitude,  there  was  an  awkward 
silence.  They  all  hesitated  to  begin  conversation,  somewhat 
puzzled  as  to  what  talk  would  be  congenial  to  him,  and  with  no 
slightest  thought  of  anything  humorous.  The  silence  did  not 
last  for  long  for  Dr.  Bausman  broke  it  and  in  a  way  that  was 
startling.  He  said:  "Come  now,  brethren,  don't  be  so  solemn. 
Make  yourselves  at  home  and  enjoy  yourselves."  He  forth- 
with broke  the  ice  with  a  roaring  good  story.  We  had 
seen  little  of  him  for  over  a  year  because  of  his  illness,  and  found 
him  to  our  surprise,  as  ever,  the  life  of  the  company. 

We  see  strikingly  in  Dr.  Bausman,  the  truth  of  what  Dr.  J. 
H.  Jowett  says — and  most  people  will  agree  with  him: 


348  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

The  finest  hilarity  is  always  in  league  with  the  deepest  gravity. 
I  have  no  respect  for  the  piety  that  cannot  laugh,  and  I  have  no 
respect  for  laughter  that  is  not  rooted  in  the  finest  awe. 

Dr.  Bausman  once  remarked:  "The  laughter  of  a  large  body 
of  Christian  people  is  to  me  the  sweetest  music  in  the  world. " 

He  was  very  methodical  in  his  habits.  He  had  an  orderly 
routine  for  each  day.  He  awoke  Avith  the  dawn  and  rose  early 
— in  the  summer  at  about  five  o'clock  and  in  winter  at  about  six- 
thirty.  The  day  was  begun  with  family  prayer  and  scripture 
reading  with  the  singing  of  a  few  stanzas  of  a  hymn  Sun- 
day mornings.  Then  came  breakfast  and  thereafter  an  undis- 
turbed hour  in  his  study  for  his  private  devotional  Bible  reading 
and  prayer.  Often  the  voice  of  earnest  supplication  would  be 
heard  through  the  closed  door  of  the  study.  His  method  in 
these  morning  scripture  meditations  was  to  take  up  a  particular 
book  of  the  Bible  and  continue  upon  it  perhaps  for  weeks  or 
months  until  he  had  gotten  for  himself  its  spiritual  message 
with  some  degree  of  mastery.  He  composed  and  wrote  out 
prayers  for  his  private  devotions  that  he  might  say  them  again 
and  again.  By  eight  o'clock  or  before  nine  he  would  be  at  his 
sermon  for  the  ensuing  Sunday,  which  was  usually  completed  be- 
fore the  noon  hour.  After  the  midday  meal  would  follow  a  short 
period  of  rest  or  a  na  pon  his  study  couch,  then  pastoral  calls  in 
the  autumn  or  winter  from  about  half  past  one  to  five  o'clock;  or, 
at  other  seasons  of  the  year,  some  outdoor  duty  or  recreation. 
Of  course,  pastoral  claims  would  greatly  vary  this  routine,  but 
there  were  fixed  factors  in  it.  The  duties  of  his  office  which 
would  not  be  neglected  were  never  permitted  to  trench  upon  the 
care  of  his  body  and  his  soul.  After  the  evening  meal  if  there 
were  no  church  appointments,  he  would  read  or  chat  with  callers, 
meditate,  or  quietly  browse  in  his  study  and  make  a  diary  entry 
if  anything  of  sufficient  consequence  called  for  record.  After 
evening  family  prayers,  he  would  retire  early,  rarely  later  than 
ten  o'clock. 

He  was  continually  getting  new  books  to  the  very  end  of  his 
life  and  he  read  them.  He  nearly  always  had  a  book  in  the  pro- 
cess of  reading.  The  precious  scraps  of  time  were  thus  used  in 
feeding  his  mind.     He  took  notes  of  his  reading  in  books  which 


CHARACTERISTICS  349 

he  kept  for  the  purpose.  He  showed  a  fine  deference  to  a  printed 
volume.  He  had  a  horror  of  mutilating  a  book.  He  would 
never  put  a  pencil  mark  on  a  page  or  turn  down  a  corner.  If  he 
saw  a  person  tearing  or  in  any  way  abusing  a  book  it  hurt  him. 
He  kept  the  books  he  bought,  knew  them,  and  by  sheer  memory 
could  quite  easily  turn  to  what  he  wanted.  He  had  in  his  lib- 
rary at  his  death  over  2,000  volumes. 

Dr.  Bausman  had  a  gift  for  details.  His  practical  bent  showed 
itself  in  that  the  smallest  particulars  would  not  be  overlooked. 
He  kept  his  records  carefully  even  to  the  amounts  of  his  wedding- 
fees.  So,  too,  he  kept  account  in  his  diary  of  his  personal  re- 
ceipts and  expenditures.  He  had  a  moral  purpose  in  this.  There 
was  a  "Lord's  portion"  of  his  income,  which  must  be  set  aside. 
This  through  his  life  averaged  far  more  than  the  tenth.  Some 
years  it  was  several  thousand  dollars  and  more  than  half  his 
annual  income.  At  the  close  of  one  year  we  read,  "Still  due  for 
benevolence,  $34.89,"  which  was  yet  needed  to  make  the  one- 
tenth  to  be  laid  aside  for  God's  work.  We  have  seen  how  the 
entire  income  in  profits  from  the  Hausfreund  was  given  for  be- 
nevolence. The  income  from  all  his  books  and  writings  was  set 
aside  for  the  same  purpose. 

Dr.  Bausman  was  in  no  wise  eccentric  in  his  habits.  His 
wearing  of  boots  in  colder  weather  was  purely  a  matter  of  com- 
fort. He  had,  however,  a  curious  mathematical  idiosyncrasy. 
With  all  his  care  in  reports  and  records  he  was  ever  having  dif- 
ficulty with  his  numbers.  It  was  not  serious  enough  to  be  of 
much  consequence;  but  his  figures  would  not  always  quite  tally. 
Mathematics  were  a  bore  to  him  in  his  student  days,  the  weak 
point  in  his  college  course.  He  was  sometimes  puzzled  as  to  his 
exact  age — often  to  the  amusement  of  his  friends  with  whom  in 
all  earnestness  he  would  argue  the  point.  He  reasoned  thus: 
On  his  second  birthday  he  was  one  year  old.  On  his  third  birth- 
day he  was  two  years  old,  etc.  This  difference  of  one  in  the 
numbers  as  thus  used,  confused  him  and  when  he  came  to  de- 
termine his  actual  age,  he  made  himself  a  year  younger  than  he 
really  was. 

When  the  Messenger,  the  church  paper,  entered  on  its  twenty- 
ninth  year  he  argued  with  Dr.  Fisher,  his  associate  in  the  editor- 


350  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

ship,  that  it  was  the  30th.  He  celebrated  the  close  of  the  first 
half  of  the  19th  century  on  the  last  day  of  1849.  According  to 
the  family  record  he  was  born  on  the  29th  of  January  and  on 
that  date  he  celebrated  his  birthday  during  his  student  days. 
Thereafter,  the  28th  of  January  was  commemorated  as  the  date 
of  his  birth.  The  reason  for  this  change  we  do  not  know.  He  is 
said  to  have  been  born  shortly  after  midnight,  however.  It  has 
been  the  custom  among  the  country  folk  in  Lancaster  County 
for  generations  to  have  their  clocks  set  about  a  half  hour  ahead 
of  "town  time."  This  consideration  leads  us  to  conjecture 
that  Dr.  Bausman  may  have  thought  he  was  actually  born 
before  the  midnight  hour,  and  his  desire  for  accuracy  led  him  to 
take  for  his  birthday  the  day  before  that  of  the  family  register. 
He  did  not  have  a  mind  for  numbers.  The  details  of  a  church 
proposition  would  confuse  him.  He  left  this  end  of  the  church 
work  to  his  laymen  and  he  was  fortunate  in  having  about  him 
able  men  who  attended  efficiently  to  it.  The  investment  of  his 
own  money  was  in  the  hands  of  a  financial  institution  which  re- 
lieved him  of  the  details  of  care  regarding  it. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

Preacher  and  Pastor 

DR.  BAUSMAN  aimed  to  prepare  himself  thoroughly  for 
every  pubhc  address.  He  was  strong  in  extempore  speak- 
ing. His  great  fund  of  knowledge  and  experience  was  at  easy 
command;  but  he  would  not  rely  on  his  facility  in  speech.  He 
did  more  or  less  writing  for  nearly  every  address.  He  wrote 
out  many  sermons  fully  in  every  particular,  but  rarely  read  them 
after  the  earlier  years  of  his  ministry.  He  would  say,  "Felt 
less  free  because  I  read."  Sometimes  his  preparation  in  a  special 
way  was  meager,  when  pressed  with  duties,  and  he  would  then 
write  only  a  bare  outline  or  sparse  notes. 

His  regular  method  was  to  organize  his  material  under  three 
or  four  main  points  and  then  write  out  the  argmnent  in  concise 
and  careful  order  on  seven  or  eight  large  pages.  Illustrations, 
which  he  used  copiously,  would  be  simply  indicated.  In  the 
earlier  years  the  specific  preparation  of  sermons  was  often  put 
off  to  the  very  end  of  the  week.  In  the  later  years  he  would 
strive  to  have  both  sermons  written  by  Thursday  noon.  He 
thus  had  time  for  careful  revision  of  his  manuscript.  The  lines 
on  his  sermon  paper  were  far  apart.  This  gave  him  plenty  of 
space  for  his  interlineations.  He  was  thus  ever  "brushing  up" 
his  style,  saving  it  from  slovenliness  and  he  kept  his  language 
fresh.  In  his  early  ministry  he  had  made  a  special  study  of 
Addison  and  Goldsmith  with  a  view  to  mastery  of  literary  form. 

Dr.  Bausman's  style  whether  in  writing  or  speaking  was  all 
his  own.  Ministers  who  heard  him  preach  would  speak  of  his 
sermons  as  "unique."  The  stamp  of  his  own  personality  was 
upon  them.  He  had  the  knack  of  putting  things  strikingly. 
He  used  "alliteration's  artful  aid."  This  was  particularly  the 
case  with  the  subjects  of  his  sermons  and  the  various  headings  of 
the  discourse.     He  would  never  use  this  gift  for  sensational  ad- 

351 


352  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

vertisement  which  he  shunned  and  hated.  Dr.  Bausman  had  a 
picturesque  mind  and  a  vivid  imagination.  He  could  put  truth 
in  forms  that  were  arresting.  As  Dr.  Richards  says:  "His 
stjde  was  the  acme  of  simphcity.  He  spoke  in  short  sentences 
and  used  Anglo-Saxon  words  with  an  absence  of  effort  which  is 
an  evidence  of  the  highest  art." 

A  few  years  after  Dr.  Bausman  became  editor  of  the  Guard- 
ian, a  copy  of  the  magazine  fell  into  the  hands  of  a  friend  of  his 
in  Cincinnati.  She  did  not  then  know  that  he  was  the  editor  and 
she  said  to  her  children:  "Why,  this  just  seems  as  if  Mr.  Baus- 
man were  talking  to  us."  To  her  surprise  she  soon  learned  that 
he  was  the  actual  author  of  the  article. 

The  author  of  this  biography  had  a  similar  experience  in  pre- 
paring Chapter  VII  of  this  book.  We  did  not  have  external 
evidence  that  Mr.  Bausman  was  contributing  editor  of  the  Mes- 
senger during  the  years  from  1862  to  1866.  The  style  and  sub- 
stance of  the  articles  marked  ~\~  alone  convinced  us  that  he  was 
the  author  of  them,  before  we  had  seen  the  letter  of  Dr.  Schneck 
definitely  stating  the  fact.  Verily,  in  Dr.  Bausman's  case, 
"The  style  was  the  man." 

Dr.  Bausman  did  not  regard  himself  "ready  for  Sunday" 
when  his  manuscript  sermons  lay  before  him  complete  on  Thurs- 
day evening.  Friday  and  Saturday  had  in  store  a  precious 
process  of  brooding  over  the  themes.  With  him,  preparing 
the  sermon  was  in  order  to  prepare  himself  to  preach.  He 
absorbed  the  truths  he  proposed  to  present,  prayed  over  them 
and  made  the  sermon  a  part  of  himself.  An  authority  on  homi- 
letics  says  that  "Many  masterly  sermons  fail  because  they  never 
had  the  benefit  of  this  process  of  meditation.  They  are  clear, 
interesting,  eloquent  but  helpless."  Even  more  characteristic 
than  the  literary  quality  and  directness  of  his  sermons  was  their 
unction.  They  came  to  the  hearer  freighted  with  life  and  spirit- 
ual power.  They  were  bathed  in  meditation  and  prayer  and  had 
"an  anointing  from  the  Holy  One." 

A  parishioner  of  Dr.  Bausman's  is  impressed  with  the  fact 
that  he  preached  on  "live  topics."  There  was  an  up-to-date- 
ness about  his  preaching.  Events  and  happenings  would  sug- 
gest their  spiritual  analogues  which  were  always  treated  with 


PREACHER   AND    PASTOR  353 

the  utmost  seriousness.  During  the  latter  years  he  rarely- 
preached  from  the  gospel  or  epistle  lessons  in  the  order  of  the 
church  year.     He  had  gone  over  them  so  often  before. 

For  special  reasons  he  would  sometimes  lay  aside  the  pre- 
pared sermon  an  hour  or  two  before  the  service  and  present 
the    theme    which    for    some    cause    suddenly    gripped     him. 

After  a  long  drought  broken  by  Sunday  showers  he  im- 
mediately turned  to  Hebrew  6:  7  and  preached  upon  it.  Of  a 
Sunday  evening  a  rainbow  spanned  the  sky  and  it  gave  him  at 
once  a  sermon  on  "The  Bow  of  Promise." 

The  needs  of  the  people  governed  him  in  the  selection 
of  themes.  His  sermons  in  the  main  would  be  classed  as  topical 
and  conspicuous  in  their  deUvery  was  the  hortatory  note. 

Sermonic  material  came  to. Dr.  Bausman  from  every  quarter. 
The  Bible  and  the  great  volume  of  human  nature  were  the  chief 
sources.  He  had  and  used  the  substantial  commentaries  which 
unfolded  the  meaning  of  the  text;  but  he  made  free  use  of  spe- 
cially prepared  homiletical  material  which  he  assimilated  and 
then  reproduced  in  his  own  form.  The  notes  which  he  made  in 
reading  books  he  had  arranged  in  such  fashion  that  he  could 
readily  refer  to  what  he  wanted.  He  gathered  clippings  from 
various  papers  and  arranged  them  in  large  envelopes  by  topics. 
These  were  what  he  would  jokingly  speak  of  to  Mrs.  Bausman  as 
his  "patch  bags." 

On  Tuesday  he  would  select  his  texts  and  themes,  analyze  and 
organize  them  and  gather  the  material  to  furnish  substance 
for  the  writing,  as  we  have  seen,  on  the  following  days.  Prior 
to  1890,  his  sermons  were  written  in  large  blank  books  which 
were  numbered  so  that  he  could  easily  refer  to  them.  He  would 
sometimes  restudy  old  texts  and  sermons,  work  them  over,  dress 
them  in  fresh  garments  so  that  they  were  actually  new.  He 
found  it  impossible  to  preach  an  old  sermon  with  any  satisfac- 
tion without  thoroughly  studying  it  again  and  thus  giving  it  a 
new  birth. 

The  habit  of  writing  out  his  sermons  was  so  strong  upon  him 
that,  if  he  failed  to  do  it  before  the  preaching,  he  would,  if  pos- 
sible, do  it  a  day  or  two  thereafter.  During  the  latter  part  of 
the  year  1889,  when  the  Calvary  and  St.  Andrew's  Church  pro- 
23 


354  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

jects  were  on  his  hands,  he  was  in  a  condition  by  no  means  un- 
common for  him,  although  then  it  was  of  unusual  length.  He 
said  of  it: 

For  a  month  or  two  past,  I  have  had  to  preach  one  sermon, 
sometimes  both,  from  simply  a  rough  sketch.  For  certain  rea- 
sons I  could  not  prepare  written  sermons  in  the  usual  way.  Some- 
times dull  and  in  poor  working  mood.  Often  have  written  out 
sermon  after  it  was  preached. 

His  conscientious  devotion  to  duty  was  in  no  line  stronger 
than  in  that  of  adequately  preparing  himself  for  preaching.  He 
held  himself  rigidly  and  persistently  to  a  high  standard.  We  see 
this  in  numerous  hints  throughout  his  life,  like  the  following: 

Nervous,  dull,  labored  fruitlessly.  Felt  guilty  before  God  for 
sending  this  large  audience  away  with  so  little  to  take  with 
them. 

Preached  with  much  labor,  nervous,  mortified.  Disappointed 
pride — which  adds  to  the  sin  of  neglected  preparation.  Oh, 
who  is  sufiicient  for  these  things! 

Barren  this  A.  M.  Prayed  much  for  help.  Preached  with 
less  comfort  than  usual.  Felt  much  perturbed  and  guilty  of 
failure. 

Felt  guilty  of  not  feeding  congregation  this  day. 

The  sermon  prepared  with  prayer  in  the  study  was  carried  in  his 
heart  to  the  pulpit  with  earnest  petitioning  for  the  divine  aid, 
which  never  failed  him.  How  often  did  he  thankfully  write: 
"The  Lord  gave  me  precious  power" — "The  Lord  gave  me 
light  and  tenderness." 

By  no  means  a  solitary  instance  was  the  experience  thus 
described : 

Felt  greatly  depressed  before  church  this  A.  M.,  both  bodily 
and  mentally.  Empty  and  helpless.  Wrestled  with  God  and 
wept  in  the  library  room,  before  going  into  the  pulpit.  The 
Lord  gave  me  marvelous  help,  so  that  I  preached  with  great 
comfort  and  I  think  with  effect  too.  After  the  service  wept 
again  in  thankful  praise  in  the  ante-room. 

He  was  certainly  not  guilty  of  self-confidence  as  a  preacher. 
His  natural  timidity,  even  in  speaking  to  his  own  people,  became 
more  and  more  a  decided  aversion  to  addressing  strange  audi- 


PREACHER   AND    PASTOR  355 

ences.  On  such  occasions  before  speaking  he  sometimes  "passed 
through  a  terrible  ordeal  of  dread  and  apprehension." 

Dr.  Bausman  made  a  brief  outline  of  his  sermon  on  a  small 
sheet  of  paper.  This  he  took  with  him  to  the  pulpit.  He  as 
a  rule  glanced  over  it  during  the  singing  of  the  hymn  before  the 
sermon.  He  never  referred  to  it  in  preaching.  He  no  doubt 
found  comfort  in  having  his  notes  ready  to  hand  in  his  pocket, 
for  he  might  flounder  and  wish  to  refer  to  them.  Preaching 
thus  without  notes,  after  trying  various  methods,  he  found  to 
be  most  satisfactory  to  himself  and  to  his  hearers. 

He  spoke  fluently  and  forcefully,  sometimes  almost  vehemently 
in  his  earnestness.  He  was  conversational  and  direct  in  manner 
and  made  his  hearers  feel  very  close  to  him.  He  was  terse,  epi- 
grammatic, even  more  in  speaking  than  in  writing.  An  apt 
phrase  would  often  illuminate  a  world  of  thought.  He  did  not 
attempt  to  commit  the  exact  wording  of  the  manuscript,  though 
much  of  the  carefully  chosen  language  of  the  written  sermon  came 
freely  to  him  as  he  spoke.  He  had  cut  the  path  of  his  thought 
clearly  for  himself  in  his  thorough  preparation.  His  memory 
served  him  well.  He  quoted  scripture  largely  and  stanzas  of 
hymns  and  choice  poetry  considerably.  He  rarely  hesitated 
and  his  hearers  followed  him  with  ease  and  pleasure. 

He  stood,  in  St.  Paul's  Church,  by  the  side  of  the  pulpit,  as 
close  to  his  audience  as  possible.  He  gestured  freely  in  a  quick, 
nervous,  emphatic  manner,  and  impressed  every  one  who  heard 
him  with  his  fine  poise  and  dignity.     Mrs.  William  E.  Hoy  says: 

The  picture  I  have  in  my  mind  of  him  is  a  beautiful  one — as 
he  stood  on  the  pulpit  the  first  time  I  heard  him  preach — so 
tall,  so  stately,  so  noble  looking.  The  peace  of  God  on  his  face. 
His  very  presence  made  the  place  holy.  You  felt  the  Father 
was  there  and  worldly  thoughts  were  impossible. 

On  one  occasion,  when  he  preached  the  funeral  sermon  of  a 
prominent  elder  in  his  Consistory,  a  friend  of  the  elder  and  a 
stranger  to  Dr.  Bausman  said  upon  leaving  the  church:  "Never 
have  I  seen  a  man  whose  face  resembled  so  closely  that  of  the 
picture  of  Jesus  Christ  as  the  face  of  the  preacher  this  morning. " 

Dr.  Bausman  was  undemonstrative  as  to  his  feelings  both  in 
public  and  in  private.     The  emotional  element,  however,   en- 


356  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

tered  very  largely  into  his  preaching.  He  was  readily  moved 
as  he  dwelt  upon  the  gracious  truths  of  the  Gospel  and  as  he  de- 
picted the  heroism  and  holiness  of  men.  Those  who  heard  him 
often  are  very  familiar  with  those  tones  of  voice  with  the  hint  of 
trembling,  and  then  the  tremor  on  his  lips  and  the  twitching 
of  his  face  as  he  mastered  his  feeling.  The  public  rarely  saw 
him  weep.  Because  his  emotion  was  so  well  controlled,  his 
hearers  were  the  more  deeply  stirred  by  it.  Sometimes,  how- 
ever, we  find  a  record  like  the  following:  "Could  not  restrain 
my  emotion  this  A.  M.  Preached  on  Isaiah  49:  15 — 'The  Ma- 
ternal Care  and  Tenderness  of  God.'" 

In  the  latter  years  especially  he  made  many  references  to  the 
scenes  of  his  childhood.  Allusions  to  his  mother  always  moved 
him.  Indeed,  his  attitude  toward  womanhood  was  nigh  unto 
religious  reverence. 

He  would  refer  again  and  again  to  the  same  experiences  and 
use  the  same  illustrations,  but  always  with  fresh  touches  and  a 
different  emphasis  so  that  they  were  for  the  purpose  in  hand 
new.  He  strove  to  avoid  any  word  that  would  provoke 
laughter;  but  his  sense  for  the  ludicrous  was  so  keen  that  he 
could  not  always  successfully  guard  himself.  He  eschewed 
levity  in  the  pulpit  and  any  hint  of  it  was  purely  casual  as  when 
in  a  temperance  sermon  he  spoke  of  a  man  as  "a  walking  beer 
barrel." 

Preaching  with  him  was  serious  business  and  he  drew  men  to 
him  by  his  moral  earnestness.  No  doubt,  there  were  many 
people  like  the  traveling  man  whom  a  Reading  minister  met 
casually  on  a  train  and  engaged  in  conversation. 

I  always  try  to  arrange  to  spend  Sunday  in  Reading  when  I 
come  in  my  rounds  to  that  city,  several  times  a  year.  I  do  so 
in  order  that  I  may  have  the  pleasure  of  hearing  a  certain  min- 
ister.    Dr.  Bausman  is  his  name, 

said  the  drummer  in  response  to  the  definite  inquiry. 
Christian  G.  Gross  writes  as  follows: 

When  my  father  died  over  twenty-five  years  ago,  I  made  up 
my  mind  to  put  my  whole  attention  on  our  business,  which  was 
large  then,  and  not  accept  any  office  outside.     Dr.  Bausman 


PREACHER   AND    PASTOR  357 

preached  the  English  sermon  at  my  father's  funeral,  and  his 
remarks  changed  my  mind  so  that  when  I  was  elected  a  member 
of  the  Orphans'  Home  Board  and  Treasurer,  I  accepted — also 
several  other  offices  in  the  Church  to  which  I  was  elected  in  my 
father's  place. 

Dr.  Richards  says  of  Dr.  Bausman: 

He  had  deep  affection  and  broad  sympathy  for  man — man  as 
he  was,  not  merely  as  he  ought  to  be.  In  the  child,  he  saw  the 
image  of  the  Creator,  the  slumbering  potencies  of  the  infinite. 
The  reprobate  was  to  him  the  prodigal  from  the  Father's  house. 
The  fellow-believer  was  a  brother  who  shared  with  him  the 
riches  of  grace  in  Christ.  These  qualities  made  him  a  prince 
among  preachers.  Some  were  more  scholarly,  some  more  elo- 
quent, but  few  in  any  church  were  more  effective  ministers  of 
the  word  of  grace  and  truth. 

It  has  been  my  privilege  to  hear  men  in  Europe  and  America, 
but  I  shall  always  treasure  the  sermons  which  I  heard  preached 
by  Dr.  Bausman,  and  they  were  only  too  few,  as  among  the 
greatest  that  I  ever  listened  to. 

Dr.  Creitz  gives  us  a  fine  analysis  of  Dr.  Bausman  in  the  func- 
tion that  is  before  us: 

He  was  a  great  preacher,  not  by  reason  of  profound  intellect, 
though  he  studied  many  problems  to  their  foundation;  not  by 
reason  of  great  scholarship,  though  he  was  familiar  with  the  best 
in  history,  literature,  art  and  science;  not  by  reason  of  great 
eloquence,  though  he  knew  how  to  use  the  human  voice  effect- 
ively, but  by  reason  of  character  and  life.  Moral  elevation  was 
perhaps  the  most  distinctive  characteristic  of  his  life.  Good- 
ness was  his  passion,  but  he  rooted  character  in  the  person  of 
Jesus  Christ.  In  pure  intellect,  he  was  not  great;  but  in  the 
discernment  of  moral  principles  and  in  power  of  exhortation, 
he  was  preeminent.  He  dealt  with  life  rather  than  mind,  and 
his  utterances  were  often  like  streams  of  refreshing  water  that 
touched  and  healed  the  people. 

Dr.  Creitz  says  further: 

He  was  a  man  of  much  prayer.  The  wonder  was  sometimes 
expressed  that  he  could  build  up  and  hold  such  a  large  congre- 
gation by  employing  so  few  of  the  arts  and  devices  which  are 
regarded  as  essential  to  ministerial  success.  I  think  the  secret 
lay  largely  in  his  prayers.  He  called  down  more  power  into  St. 
Paul's  Church  by  his  prayers  than  the  average  minister  secures 


358  THE   LIFE    OP   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

with  all  his  machinery.  After  twelve  years'  connection  with 
St.  Paul's  Church,  I  find  myself  unable  to  account  for  his  work 
here  except  through  the  potency  of  his  prayers.  I  never  heard 
anyone  who  could  pray  like  Dr.  Bausman. 

Most  persons,  who  heard  him  pray  with  any  measure  of  fre- 
quency, will  agree  with  this  judgment  of  Dr.  Creitz.  Dr.  Baus- 
man was  at  home  at  the  throne  of  grace.  When  he  led  in  prayer, 
one  felt  that  God  was  near.  His  language  while  simple  was 
rhythmic  and  dignified  and  never  fell  into  the  commonplace. 
He  was  fluent  and  rarely  faltered  or  got  himself,  in  any  way, 
entangled.  He  had  marvelous  versatility  in  his  prayers.  He 
touched  phases  and  facts  of  life  and  alluded  to  subtle,  soul  ex- 
periences such  as  the  average  person  would  not  even  think  of 
in  his  praying.  His  prayers  were  fresh  and  unique  and,  how- 
ever often  one  heard  him,  never  left  the  impression  of  sameness. 
Dr.  E.  N.  Kremer  wrote,  in  the  Messenger,  of  a  prayer  offered 
by  Dr.  Bausman  at  Bethany  Orphans'  Home  within  a  year  of 
his  death: 

A  touching  reference  to  deceased  members;  grateful  recogni- 
tion of  God's  goodness;  helpful  trust  in  Him — a  prayer  that 
might  have  been  the  offering  of  his  heart  in  the  secret  worship 
of  the  closet,  so  personal  it  was  and  yet  so  suitable  in  every  way 
for  a  public  assembly. 

Of  course,  he  acquired  the  high  art  of  praying  with  edification 
in  public  by  diligent  practice  in  private.  He  prepared  himself 
to  lead  the  congregation  in  prayer  as  thoroughly  as  to  preach  to 
them.  He  often  wrote  out  parts  or  made  notes  of  particular 
things  he  wished  to  remember  before  the  mercy-seat.  When  he 
was  called  on  to  offer  a  prayer  on  some  public  occasion  he  would 
sometimes  write  it  out  and  read  it.  It  goes  without  saying  that 
he  had  implicit  confidence  in  the  potency  of  prayer.  His  belief 
in  its  efficacy  is  further  attested  by  the  following  record  which 
we  find  in  his  diary  in  the  early  eighties:  "Sent  a  request  to 
the  Fulton  Street  Prayer-Meeting  of  New  York  City,  asking 
an  interest  in  its  prayers  for  my  congregation." 

The  primary  emphasis  on  prayer,  for  accomplishing  God's 
work  in  the  world,  which  is  so  manifest  in  the  New  Testament 
and  to  which  the  Laymen's  Missionary  Movement  in  our  day 


PREACHER  AND    PASTOR  359 

is  calling  the  Church,  was  the  simple  practice  and  faith  of  Dr. 
Bausman.  There  are  instances  of  immediate,  tangible  results 
that  remind  one  of  George  Mliller  and  his  work  among  the 
orphans  at  Bristol,  England.  Apparently  without  any  direct 
solicitation  came  the  result  alluded  to  in  the  following: 

Mrs.  H.  gives  S800  to  the  church.  I  told  her  God  had  a  hand 
in  this,  that  we  wished  to  raise  $5,000  and  I  felt  perplexed  to 
know  where  the  whole  was  to  come  from.  For  months  past, 
I  have  weekly  laid  certain  burdens  before  God  and  he  has  sig- 
nally and  wonderfully  come  to  our  help. 

His  every  movement  in  the  sanctuary  bespoke  his  reverence 
and  all  parts  of  the  service  must  have  becoming  dignity.  He 
simply  could  not  view  with  toleration,  not  to  say  approval, 
anything  like  the  goings-on  of  crude  revivalists. 

He  was  fond  of  the  warm  and  spirited  evangelical  hymns,  but 
he  detested  the  sentimental  in  words  and  music  and  wrote  as 
well  as  spoke  against  it.  He  put  high  value  on  hearty  congrega- 
tional singing  and  himself  contributed  a  rich  baritone.  He 
practiced  and  advocated  religious  education  as  essentially  the 
fundamental  method  in  church  work,  yet  he  realized  how  fruit- 
less is  mere  instruction  if  men's  hearts  are  not  touched.  How 
often  would  he  say  to  us  ministers,  ''If  we  can  only  somehow 
impress  people!" 

Among  the  pious  folk  of  Germany  he  saw  and  wrote  of 

a  spirit  of  solemnity,  reverence  and  intense  'devotion  in  the 
religious  worship,  which  I  have  never  met  with  elsewhere.  I 
have  sometimes  been  as  much  edified  by  this  scene  of  devotion 
as  by  the  most  forceful  sermons. 

The  power  of  reverential  worship  to  impress  the  soul  he  be- 
lieved in,  and  all  the  elements  of  the  church  worship  with  the 
sermon — the  very  attitudes  of  pastor  and  people — must  combine 
to  this  end.  Any  service  conducted  by  Dr.  Bausman  was  sure 
to  be  informed  by  the  reverential  spirit.  The  deliberate  and 
impressive  way  in  which  he  pronounced  the  benediction  will 
not  soon  be  forgotten. 

After  the  close  of  the  service  in  the  sanctuary  he  would  not  go 
down  into  the  aisles  to  greet  the  people.     Some  would  come  to 


360  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

the  chancel  to  express  appreciation,  which  made  him  glad.  He 
rarely  approached  groups  of  people  who  might  be  standing  in 
the  church  if  he  were  passing  through  on  his  way  home.  He 
seemed  averse  to  engaging  in  familiar  conversation  then.  The 
salutary  impression  of  sermon  and  worship  might  be  dissipated. 
When  he  heard  that  he  helped  people  his  joy  was  too  deep  for 
words,  as  we  see  in  the  following: 

The  sermon  which  I  preached  with  such  travail  of  soul  was 
blessed  of  God.  Miss  P.  told  Mrs.  B.  that  she  was  too  full  to 
tell  me,  that  no  sermon  had  ever  been  such  a  blessing  to  her. 
When  wife  told  me  this  at  the  tea  table,  we  both  wept. 

The  first  great  duty  of  a  pastor  is  to  get  a  realizing  sense  of 
the  wants  of  the  people  under  his  care.  Where  and  how  do  they 
live?  What  are  their  surroundings  at  home?  Over  what  roads 
havet  hey  traveled  thus  far.  What  road  are  they  traveling  now? 
What  are  their  daily  duties,  trials  and  wants? 

Thus  wrote  Dr.  Bausman  in  the  Guardian.  Like  the  great 
Good  Shepherd,  he  knew  his  own  and  his  own  knew  him.  We 
find  a  reason  for  his  deep  emotion  in  preaching — because  he  was 
so  intimately  acquainted  with  the  experiences  of  his  flock. 

Believe  me,  when  I  sometimes  look  over  my  congregation 
from  my  seat  in  the  pulpit,  I  must  weep  outright.  In  running 
from  pew  to  pew,  my  eye  falls  on  individual  members  to  whom 
life  is  a  daily  burden  or  danger.  The  sight  of  their  faces  calls 
up  a  great  sorrow  or  trial.  Some  very  poor,  others  in  trouble 
worse  than  poverty.  They  have  brought  their  burdened  hearts 
along  to  church,  and  I  ought  to  give  each  one  a  gospel  of  com- 
fort, some  "glad  tidings,"  and  how  can  I  doit?  My  poor  heart 
feels  for  them,  but  "Who  is  sufficient  for  these  things?" 

Family  visitation  was  faithfully  performed  by  him  and  he 
found  it  even  for  himself  a  means  of  grace,  like  Dr.  Thomas 
Arnold  who  said:  "Prayer  and  kindly  intercourse  with  the  poor, 
are  the  two  great  safeguards  of  spiritual  life — it's  more  than  food 
and  raiment." 

Every  autumn  as  soon  after  the  warm  weather  as  possible,  he 
proceeded  to  make  the  rounds  to  all  the  homes  of  his  parish. 
None  were  neglected.  He  did  this  even  in  his  busiest  years 
when  pastor  of  the  overlarge  First   Church.     His  visits  were 


PREACHER   AND    PASTOR  361 

short.  He  came  directly  to  the  point.  He  was  weak  in  small 
talk.  Some  one  says  his  visits  were  like  this:  "How  do  you  do? 
Are  you  well?  Is  John  well?  Does  he  go  to  school?  Good- 
bye." 

This  is  not  to  be  taken  literally.  It  is  an  illustration.  He 
was  engaging  and  not  overserious  in  his  calls ;  yet  he  was  quick  to 
discern  distress  or  need  without  verbal  inquiry,  and  the  little 
visit  would  often  terminate  with  pastor  and  parishioner  both  on 
their  knees.  It  was  his  custom  after  returning  from  an  after- 
noon's calling  to  go  into  a  room,  close  the  door  and  plead  audi- 
bly before  God  by  name  for  those  whose  needs  had  been  borne 
home  to  his  heart. 

Dr.  Bausman  was  not  a  popular  pastor  and  preacher  as  we 
ordinarily  understand  that  term.  He  would  not  do  things  just 
for  the  sake  of  currying  favor.  He  could  not  mingle  promiscu- 
ously and  familiarly  with  all  people.  He  was  not  a  hail-fellow- 
well-met.  To  most  people  he  seemed  reserved  and  somewhat 
distant.  The  average  minister  to-day  would  not  succeed  very 
well  with  so  little  "sociability"  and  all  round  hand-shaking. 
Dr.  Bausman  drew  people  to  him,  not  by  any  flattering  attention 
but  by  his  personality  and  sterling  worth,  and  those  who  came 
to  know  him  he  held  with  hooks  of  steel. 

In  his  strong  introductory  sermon  at  Chambersburg  in  1861, 
he  said: 

There  is  a  class  of  Christians  in  almost  every  congregation 
who  would  like  their  minister  to  be  universally  popular.  They 
wish  all  the  good  and  bad  in  the  community  to  admire  and  ap- 
plaud him.  Popularity  is  not  to  be  despised.  Blessed  is  the 
man  who  enjoys  a  rich  share  of  it,  provided  he  acquire  it  without 
the  sacrifice  of  duty  and  principle.  I,  too,  am  fond  of  the  good 
opinion  of  others;  but  do  not  ask  or  expect  me  to  pander  to  an 
unsanctified  public  opinion;  do  not  ask  me  to  become  a  fawning, 
truckling  aspirant  for  popular  admiration.  If  you  expect  me 
to  mince  the  truth  for  the  sake  of  not  giving  offense,  or  tell  it 
in  such  soft,  subhme  phrases  that  no  one  can  feel  or  understand 
it,  you  expect  what  I  do  not  intend  to  give  you.  If  you  ask  me 
to  preach  so  as  not  to  give  umbrage  to  profane  swearers,  drunk- 
ards, the  Hcentious  or  the  dishonest,  you  demand  too  much. 
Duty  first,  then  popularity.  I  claim  the  privilege  of  saying 
what  I  have  to  say  in  plain  Saxon  and  to  call  things  by  their 


362  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

riffht  names,  without  any  circumlocution  of  rhetoric  or  needless 
ornateness  of  style.  It  shall  be  done  respectfully  and  in  love, 
but  the  truth  must  be  spoken.  And  if  telling  the  simple  truth 
will  provoke  the  anger  of  the  Jews  against  Stephen,  then  I  say, 
let  the  stones  fly  thick  and  fast.  His  face  will  shine  all  the  more 
bright  and  angelic  as  he  commits  his  spirit  into  the  hands  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  in  whose  stead  he  has  spoken. 

We  do  not  believe  that  any  minister  in  Eastern  Pennsylvania 
exercised  a  finer  and  firmer  discipline  in  his  church  than  did  Dr. 
Bausman.  He  often  complained  of  the  laxity  of  morals  among 
many  church  members  in  his  denomination  and  denounced  it. 
It  was  an  inheritance  from  the  Church  in  Germany  as  he  had 
seen  for  himself.     He  said: 

They  have  no  church  discipline.  There  is  such  a  predom- 
inance of  tares,  such  an  absence  of  the  spirit  of  discipline,  that 
the  general  membership  has  neither  a  consciousness  of  its  ne- 
cessity nor  taste  for  its  requirements. 

His  uncompromising  sermons  offended  some  people,  who  left 
his  church  in  consequence.  He  did  not  hold  back  from  admonish- 
ing the  sinner  privately  when  necessity  demanded  it.  Sometimes 
a  member  would  have  to  be  suspended  from  the  Holy  Communion 
for  lapse  in  morals.  Dr.  Bausman  never  shrank  from  such  duty, 
painful  though  it  was  to  himself.  He  believed  in  the  salutary 
effect  of  the  vigorous  enforcement  of  the  law  in  church  as  well  as 
in  state.  Of  course,  his  principle  was  to  encourage  aptitudes 
rather  than  to  correct  deficiencies;  but  moral  damage  was  sure  to 
ensue  if  offenders  went  unpunished.  He  was  severest  of  all 
upon  immorality  amongst  ministers,  where  it  had  least  excuse. 

In  the  early  years  of  the  twentieth  century  the  ministers  of 
Reading  in  the  City  Association  decided  that  they  would  not 
ofiiciate  at  the  marriage  of  a  person  who  had  been  divorced 
unless  thoroughly  convinced  of  the  person's  innocency.  Dr. 
Bausman,  of  course,  concurred  in  this  action  and  then  quietly 
remarked  that  for  years  he  had  been  doing  this  very  thing;  only 
that  he  declined  to  marry  any  divorced  person  whomsoever, 
because  it  was  practically  impossible  to  determine  conclusively 
the  question  of  innocency.  To  refuse  all  was  for  him  the  only 
satisfactory  course. 


PREACHER   AND    PASTOR  363 

He  dealt  firmly  with  the  sinner  because  of  his  sin  while  he 
yearned  after  the  erring  like  a  father.  Toward  the  penitent, 
he  was  as  tender  as  a  mother  with  her  son.  He  was  speaking 
for  himself  in  his  Chambersburg  introductory  sermon  when  he 
said: 

You  can  hardly  realize  how  much  a  pastor  is  identified  with 
his  people  in  sympathy.  You  can  hardly  believe  how  often  he 
makes  their  sorrows  his  own.  No  parent  can  sorrow  more  over 
a  wayward  child,  than  a  faithful  pastor  over  a  wayward  church 
member.  Often  have  I  felt  myself  personally  disgraced,  when 
members  of  my  flock  were  guilty  of  improper  conduct. 

So  keenly  did  Dr.  Bausman  feel  responsibility  and  the  sense 
of  shame,  when  any  of  his  members  went  wrong  or  did  a  scan- 
dalous thing,  that  he  shunned  meeting  acquaintances  and  would 
take  back  alleys  in  his  necessary  movements  about  the  city. 
Any  stain  on  the  honor  of  his  dear  church  not  only  grieved  but 
wounded  him. 

Dr.  Bausman  labored  for  souls  and  plead  for  them  passionately 
to  come  to  the  Master.  The  evening  when  he  received  the  names 
of  his  catechumens  who  would  join  the  church  was  "always  a 
time  of  prayerful  anxiety"  for  him.  He  tried  to  get  every  mem- 
ber of  his  class,  however  young,  for  confirmation.  Undecided 
ones  were  urged  personally  with  great  earnestness  that  "Now  is 
the  acceptable  time."  He  was  fearful  of  the  perils  of  delay. 
The  Church  regarded  Dr.  Bausman  one  of  her  very  best  cate- 
chists;  but  he  was  often  depressed  with  the  sense  of  failure  and 
would  pray,  "May  God  forgive  me  if  my  defects  were  the  cause 
of  it."  He  was  loath  to  erase  a  name  from  the  church  register. 
If  it  had  to  be  done,  he  would  still  follow  the  person  with  his 
pastoral  interest. 

He  urged  his  people  to  be  "frank,  confiding  and  candid" 
toward  him  and  they  were.     Mr.  Daniel  Miller  says: 

He  possessed,  to  a  large  degree,  what  the  Germans  call  "Pas- 
toral Klugheit"  (pastoral  judiciousness).  He  was  no  respecter 
of  persons.  He  felt  that  he  was  the  spiritual  shepherd  of  each 
soul  in  his  charge.  Every  soul  could,  with  equal  freedom,  un- 
burden itself  to  him  and  never  did  he  betray  a  trust  confided  in 
him.     He  was  an  apt  reader  of  human  nature  and  could  discern 


364  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

what  kind  of  treatment  each  patient  needed.     He  did  not  gloss 
over  sin,  but  went  right  to  the  cause  of  people's  troubles. 

Those  who  study  the  life  of  Dr.  Bausman  are  invariably  im- 
pressed with  his  likeness  to  Abraham  Lincoln.  This  is  evident 
in  their  sanity,  common  sense  and  gift  of  humor,  but  above  all 
in  that  they  both  loved  the  common  people,  understood  them 
and  labored  wisely  for  their  welfare.  Insight  into  human  nature 
is  a  prerequisite  for  efficient  leadership  and  in  this  Dr.  Bausman 
was  strong.  He  comprehended  the  ability  of  a  man  and  knew 
how  to  draw  it  out.  Of  course,  confidence  in  him  made  men 
ready  to  follow  where  he  led;  but  he  had  remarkable  power  in 
getting  people  to  do  things.  He  would  lay  a  task  on  a  man  who 
might  hesitate  to  do  it;  but  Dr.  Bausman  could  make  the  man 
feel  that  it  was  God's  will  that  he  should  do  it  and  this  was  pro- 
viding the  highest  possible  motive.  He  knew  the  limits  of 
people  and  was  wise  enough  not  to  ask  of  them  more  than  they 
could  or  would  do.  The  strong  and  willing  horse  is  always  ex- 
pected to  pull  most,  and  any  general  interest  of  the  denomina- 
tion invariably  looked  to  Dr.  Bausman's  people  to  lead  in  offer- 
ing help,  and  they  did.  He  defended  them,  however,  against 
many  an  appeal  or  postponed  it  when  he  felt  they  were  not  quite 
ready  for  it.  His  people  gave  so  much  to  benevolence  because 
he  was  wise  enough  not  to  ask  too  much.  His  own  generous 
example,  of  course,  was  an  inspiration  to  liberality. 

Dr.  Bausman  knew  how  to  pick  leaders.  When  new  members 
of  his  Consistory  were  to  be  chosen  by  the  congregation,  his  own 
preference  for  certain  men  was  very  naturally  respected.  He 
did  not  rely  on  his  own  first  judgment  of  a  man's  fitness,  how- 
ever, but  took  time  to  ascertain  the  worthiness  of  such  as  were 
under  consideration  for  office-bearing  in  the  church,  and  earnestly 
sought  divine  guidance  that  wise  choice  might  be  made.  When 
men  were  once  chosen  for  any  office,  he  inspired  faithfulness  in 
them  by  laying  on  them  responsibility  and  by  trusting  them. 
Thus,  in  his  own  church  and  in  whatever  enterprise  he  fostered, 
he  delegated  to  others  important  matters  which  they  could  at- 
tend to  better  than  he  could.  He  was  quick  to  see  merit,  generous 
in  appreciation  and  never  lorded  it  over  those  who  labored  with 
him.     His  associates  never  hint  that  he  was  in  the  leastwise 


PREACHER   AND    PASTOR  365 

stubborn  or  unreasonable.  In  questions  purely  of  policy,  he 
knew  how  to  be  politic;  but  whenever  an  issue  of  right  or  wrong 
emerged  he  was  at  once  stirred  and  was  immovable  in  his  convic- 
tion. The  remark  was  current  among  his  associates,  alluding 
to  his  nervous  emphatic  gestures  when  aroused  on  any  question: 
"There's  no  use  in  saying  anything  further  when  Dr.  Bausman's 
cuffs  begin  to  rattle." 

Dr.  Bausman's  relation  to  his  fellow  ministers  was  most 
beautiful.  They  admired  him  and  showed  him  a  fine  reverence 
and  he  showed  toward  them  sympathy,  interest  and  a  fine  con- 
sideration. Amongst  his  ministerial  brethren  he  regarded  him- 
self but  one  among  equals,  though  they  were  always  sure  to  put 
him  first.  Of  course,  his  feelings  were  specially  warm  toward 
those  of  his  own  household  of  faith. 

He  was  fond  of  the  younger  ministers,  and  enjoyed  the  stimu- 
lation of  discussing  the  questions  which  interested  them  most. 
Like  Dr.  Thomas  Arnold  he  often  sought  "suggestions  from  per- 
sons very  much  younger  than  himself."  Indeed,  it  was  almost 
pathetic  sometimes  to  see  him  inquire  earnestly  from  compara- 
tively inexperienced  pastors  regarding  effective  plans  and  meth- 
ods, as  though  he  himself  were  the  novice.  In  this  he  showed  his 
perennial  youthfulness  of  spirit.  His  mind  was  open  and  he 
never  ceased  to  learn. 

In  a  city  where  there  are  many  churches  of  the  same  denomina- 
tion, friction  is  sometimes  liable  to  arise  between  aggressive 
pastors.  At  the  beginning  of  the  Associate  Pastorate,  Dr. 
Bausman  read  a  paper  on  "Inter-parish  Comity"  before  the  Re- 
formed Ministerium  of  Reading.  In  it  we  see  his  principles  and 
practice  touching  relations  in  which  he  showed  himself  a  fine- 
grained gentleman,  keenly  considerate  of  the  rights  of  others. 

In  the  best  of  pastors  there  is  an  irrepressible  zeal  to  angle  for 
good  people  of  other  parishes  near  his  church.  An  expert  fisher- 
man caimot  resist  the  temptation  to  throw  in  his  line  when  he 
sees  fine  bass  or  trout  frisking  about  in  a  stream.  In  this  re- 
spect, I  am  no  better  than  you  are,  and  I  am  somewhat  doubt- 
ful whether  you  are  much  better  than  I  am.  To  the  best  of 
pastors,  the  giving  away  of  members  is  in  the  nature  of  a  be- 
reavement. It  relates  to  one  of  the  most  sensitive  sides  of  our 
pastoral  experience.     We  ought  to  give  each  other  as  Uttle  pain 


366  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

as  possible  in  the  treatment  and  transferring  of  members.  In 
order  to  prosecute  our  work  under  existing  conditions,  with  as 
little  discomfort  to  one  another  as  possible,  we  might  perhaps 
come  to  an  informal  agreement  on  a  few  points: 

1.  What  is  my  duty  to  members  of  churches  in  other  parts  of 
the  city  who  live  near  St.  Paul's?  In  my  eagerness  to  get  new 
members,  I  might  try  to  influence  them  to  connect  with  my 
flock.  If  this  were  done  all  around,  some  pastors  would  have  to 
dismiss  one-fourth  of  their  people.  This  would  certainly  en- 
gender bad  blood  and  bring  discredit  upon  the  cause  of  Christ. 
Let  their  own  pastors  do  the  visiting.  And  if  on  account  of  the 
distance  to  their  own  churches  of  their  own  accord,  unsolicited 
by  the  nearer  pastor,  they,  at  length,  prefer  to  unite  with  his 
flock,  we  should  consent  to  their  transfer,  however  much  we 
may  feel  their  loss. 

2.  We  can  help  one  another  in  reaching  indifferent,  non-church- 
going  members.  The  erasure  of  names  from  the  roll  is  easily 
done.  What  duties  do  we  owe  to  people  thus  erased?  We 
send  missionaries  to  the  heathen.  What  are  we  doing  for  people 
in  our  city  whom  we  have  thus  sent  adrift?  If  I  cannot  reach 
them,  I  ought  to  invite  some  other  pastor,  who  may  have  more 
influence  with  them  than  I,  in  a  prudent  way,  to  try  to  save 
them. 

3.  What  shall  we  do  with  our  estranged,  offended  people?  I 
cannot  please  every  person  nor  compel  people  to  like  me.  It 
may  not  be  my  fault  that  some  of  my  people  prefer  your  ser- 
mons to  mine.  Some  persons  may  have  cause  to  feel  offended 
at  me.  I  may  have  lost  the  way  to  their  hearts  and  can  do  them 
no  good.  Shall  I,  with  a  sullen  spirit,  say  to  my  brethren,  Hands 
off,  and  let  them  go  to  the  bad  if  they  will  not  accept  of  my  minis- 
trations? Or,  shall  I  request  a  ministerial  brother  to  try  and 
save  them?  I  have  often  done  this.  Why  should  I  hold  on  to  a 
person  who  will  not  accept  of  my  ministrations,  and  not  per- 
mit another  to  save  a  soul  from  death,  which  I  can  no  longer  reach? 

Hundreds  of  people  in  Reading  have  been  lost  to  the  Reformed 
Church  and  many  have  lost  their  souls  forever,  because  pastors, 
who  could  no  longer  minister  to  them,  will  not  permit  those  who 
could  have  done  so. 

It  need  hardly  be  said  that  he  exhibited  the  same  comity  to- 
ward pastors  and  parishes  of  other  denominations.  He  would 
refuse  to  officiate  at  a  baptism  in  a  disaffected  family  of  another 
pastor  and  even  if  there  was  reason  for  his  ministering  in  a  family 
of  another  flock,  he  would  sometimes  insist  on  the  "written  con- 
sent" of  the  pastor  concerned. 


PREACHER   AND    PASTOR  367 

Dr.  Bausman  was  preeminently  a  pastor's  pastor.  When  a 
minister  and  his  family  are  in  perplexity,  sorrow,  bereavement, 
to  whom  shall  they  go?  We  doubt  whether  to  any  pastor  in  the 
Reformed  Church  so  many  ministers  and  their  families  turned 
so  frequently  as  to  him  for  counsel  and  comfort.  The  Rev. 
Henry  Y.  Stoner  of  Reading  says  that,  in  consulting  Dr.  Baus- 
man, touching  perplexing,  personal  and  pastoral  problems,  he 
felt  he  was  going  to  the  highest  available  human  authority.  He 
believed,  moreover,  that  Dr.  Bausman  would  receive  him  with  a 
fatherly  sympathy.  Any  one  coming  to  this  modern  seer  could 
be  assured  that  confidences  would  be  scrupulously  kept.  Dr. 
Bausman  was  not,  as  he  humorously  said  of  certain  pastors, 
"leaky." 

When  he  himself  was  ill,  he  craved  the  sympathy  and  the  up- 
lift of  prayer  which  another  pastor  might  bring,  and  he  was  very 
thoughtful  and  quick  to  offer  himself  as  comforter  to  his  breth- 
ren in  distress.  We  have  seen  how  in  his  youth  and  student  days, 
Benjamin  Bausman  took  delight  in  waiting  on  sick  people.  A 
few  months  before  Dr.  Eschbach  died,  he  told  us  of  the  Western 
tour,  in  1886,  and  of  how  after  coming  down  from  Gray's  Peak 
near  Pike's  he  was  very  ill  and  Dr.  Bausman  immediately  took 
full  charge  of  him.  Said  Dr.  Eschbach  with  manifest  emotion 
in  memory  of  the  event:  "Yes,  he  was  as  tender  as  a  child  to 
me." 

Dr.  Henry  Mosser,  shortly  before  his  death,  witnessed  likewise 
to  Dr.  Bausman's  solicitude  for  his  family  in  affliction — how 
for  a  season  daily  prayers  were  offered  at  the  family  altar  of  the 
pastor  of  St.  Paul's  for  one  who  was  seriously  ill  in  the  parsonage 
of  the  First  Church.  Dr.  Mosser  said  further  of  his  fellow  min- 
ister: "No  one  preached  a  truer,  higher  gospel  than  Dr.  Baus- 
man and  he  lived  up  to  it  as  perfectly  as  a  human  may.  My 
relations  to  him  were  always  most  cordial  and  never  strained," 

When  Dr.  C.  Z.  Weiser  was  in  his  last  illness  in  1896,  he  wrote 
to  Dr.  Bausman,  his  life-long  friend,  pathetically:  "Do  come  and 
see  me.  I  have  to  keep  my  bed.  Do  take  time  please  and  come 
to  see  me."     Of  course.  Dr.  Bausman  went. 

We  have  several  beautiful  letters  which  Dr.  Bausman  wrote 
to  Mrs.  Schneck  after  the  death,  in  1874,  of  her  husband.  Dr.  B. 


368  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

F.  Schneck,  with  whom  Benjamin  Bausman  had  been  so  closely- 
associated  at  Chambersburg.  A  few  extracts  will  show  his 
method  in  the  delicate  and  difficult  office  of  consolation: 

How  often  I  have  thought  of  you  since  my  return  home !  Dur- 
ing the  labors  of  the  day  and  the  silent,  restful  hours  of  the  night, 
my  mind  and  heart  turn  to  you.  All  the  while  I  feel  that  I  ought 
to  do  something  for  you  to  soothe  and  comfort  you;  and  feel 
worried  that  I  can  do  nothing  to  lighten  your  heavy  burden. 
Thank  God  for  the  privilege  of  prayer.  I  believe  that  you  have 
in  your  time  experienced  more  of  its  blessed  efficacy  than  I  have. 
It  is  a  comfort  to  me  that  with  the  simple  faith  of  a  little  child, 
I  can  kneel  down  and  mention  your  name  to  God  and  plead  with 
him  for  your  relief  and  support. 

You  and  I  have  often  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  good,  and  felt 
our  hearts  burning  within  us,  as  He  talked  with  us  by  the  way. 
I  have  had  a  few  dark  trials  in  my  ministry,  when  everything 
seemed  to  turn  against  me.  More  than  a  thousand  souls  were 
at  stake,  for  whom  I  was  accountable  to  God,  and  I  felt  that 
men  and  devils  blocked  up  the  way  for  me.  Felt  a  little  like 
Elijah  and  with  him  was  mistaken.  All  the  while  many  people 
prayed  for  me.  But,  under  this  sense  of  forsakenness,  I  would 
shut  myself  up  alone  with  God,  when  I  had  an  unspeakably 
tender  sense  of  His  nearness.  Could  talk  to  Him  as  a  child  would 
to  a  father  or  mother.  Often,  at  such  times,  I  wept  for  joy  and 
gratitude.  O,  that  our  merciful  heavenly  Father  would  enable 
you  to  trust  Him  thus.  "He  can  be  touched  with  a  feeling  of 
our  infirmities. "     "He  knoweth  our  frame. " 

I  often  think  of  you  and  speak  to  Mrs.  Bausman  about  you 
and  your  dear,  sainted  husband.  Indeed,  I  have  a  comforting 
way  of  keeping  you  in  my  heart  and  mind,  by  including  your  name 
among  a  list  of  persons  for  whom  I  pray  in  my  more  private 
devotions.  Only  an  hour  ago  I  mentioned  your  name  to  God  on 
bended  knees. 

Dr.  Kuendig  has  been  pastor  of  St.  John's  German  Lutheran 
Church,  Reading,  for  over  fifty  years.  The  warm  friendship  of 
the  two  pastors  throughout  is  exhibited  for  us  in  a  beautiful 
picture  of  ministerial  regard  and  fellow-feeling  as  recorded  in  Dr. 
Bausman's  diary  of  1899: 

Visited  the  Rev.  Dr.  J.  Kuendig  to  offer  my  sympathy  on  the 
death  of  his  wife.  Was  exceedingly  grateful  for  my  visit  and  a 
letter  of  condolence.  Embraced  me  sobbing,  pressed  my  face 
between  the  palms  of  his  hands,  repeatedly  rose  to  his  feet  in 


PREACHER    AND    PASTOR  369 

great  emotion  and  pressed  my  hand  with  both  hands.  Cor- 
dially kissed  each  other  before  parting.  He  repeatedly  de- 
clared that  I  was  truly  a  man  of  God,  that  he  and  his  wife  had 
often  said  so,  that  she  thought  so  much  of  me,  and  loved  to  hear 
me  preach.  He  begged  that  we  would  always  be  true  friends  to 
each  other.  "Yes,  you  will  never  forsake  me!"  Let  us  not 
permit  our  denominational  differences  to  cool  our  mutual  love. 
We  are  essentially  one  in  faith.  We  both  wept  together.  An 
unusual  and  stirring  interview.  Am  so  thankful  that  I  called 
to  see  the  poor  man. 

Dr.  Bausman  regarded  it  a  point  of  honor  to  attend  the  funeral 
of  a  minister,  especially  of  his  own  denomination,  if  it  was  at  all 
possible.  He  felt  that  in  this  particular,  lodge  members,  poli- 
ticians and  members  of  other  professions  often  put  ministers  to 
shame.  He  preached  the  funeral  sermons  for  scores  of  ministers 
and  very  often  for  the  members  of  minister's  families.  He  was 
at  his  best  as  a  preacher  when  eulogizing  the  faithful  deeds  of  a 
humble  pastor. 

By  his  natural  eminence  as  leader  and  spiritual  adviser  he  be- 
came among  his  coworkers  in  the  ministry  as  it  were,  an  un- 
official bishop. 

Dr.  Bausman  had  the  pastoral  instinct  and  it  was  fundamental 
in  all  that  he  did.  As  Dr.  Richards  said  in  his  introduction  to 
"Precept  and  Practice"  in  1902: 

Whether  he  wrote  his  "Sinai  and  Zion, "  his  articles  for  the 
Guardian  and  the  Hausfreund,  or  whether  he  stands  in  his  pulpit, 
by  the  bedside  of  the  sick,  and  in  the  homes  of  his  members,  or 
whether  his  eye  follows  the  progress  of  the  city  of  Reading,  that 
the  building  of  churches  may  keep  pace  with  the  erection  of 
homes;  in  all  these  positions  and  offices,  he  has  the  spirit  of  a 
pastor,  a  shepherd  and  bishop  of  souls. 

Dr.  Richards  said  further  of  Dr.  Bausman  at  the  unveiling  of 
his  bust  in  St.  Paul's  Sanctuary: 

He  was  a  historic  character  in  the  Reformed  Church.  We 
speak  of  Ranch,  Nevin,  Schaff,  Harbaugh,  as  a  distinguished 
group  of  ministers  in  the  nineteenth  century.  With  all  but  one 
of  these.  Dr.  Bausman  was  personally  and  intimately  acquainted. 
Each  one  represents  a  specific  type  of  work.  One  was  the  philo- 
sopher, another  the  theologian,  a  third  the  historian  and  a  fourth 
24 


370  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

the  poet.  I  should  add  the  name  of  Dr.  Bausman  to  this  galaxy 
of  historic  persons  in  the  Reformed  Church  as  the  preacher- 
pastor. 

Dr.  William  A.  Hale  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  says  of  Dr.  Bausman: 

My  admiration  for  his  splendid  character  was  all  I  was  ca- 
pable of  feeling  for  one  of  the  noblest  men  I  have  ever  known. 

In  his  home  he  was  a  prince  of  courtesy  and  refinement.  In 
his  fellowship  with  men  he  was  knightly,  noble  and  philanthropic. 
In  his  pastorate  he  was  a  good  and  true  shepherd.  In  his  pul- 
pit, a  flame  of  fire  and  an  evangel  of  God. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

Theology  and  the  Church  Question 

DR.  BAUSMAN  did  not  consider  himself  a  theologian. 
Speculative  questions  did  not  deeply  interest  him.  He 
believed  with  Froebel  that  the  fundamental  things  of  life  are 
vital,  not  intellectual.  It  was  not  the  abstract  but  the  con- 
crete and  practical  end  of  things  which  appealed  to  him  and  to 
which  he  gave  his  thought  and  energy.  He  felt,  regarding  his 
own  denomination,  somewhat  as  Dr.  Thomas  Arnold  did  of  the 
English  Church.  Arnold  said:  "It  is  in  government  and  dis- 
cipline, not  in  doctrine,  that  our  Church  wants  mending  most." 
And  yet,  far  more  than  this  was  the  conviction  of  Dr.  Bausman. 
Religion  is  the  life  of  God  in  the  soul  of  man.  To  bring  God  to 
men  in  some  effective  way,  he  felt  was  his  mission;  yea,  it  was  his 
passion.  Clear,  satisfying  thought  regarding  divine  things  was 
important  and  never  to  be  undervalued,  but  still  more  funda- 
mentally important  was  it  to  know  God  and  obey  Him.  Dr. 
Bausman  was  in  agreement,  moreover,  with  F.  W.  Robertson  that 

the  condition  of  arriving  at  truth  is  not  severe  habits  of  in- 
vestigation, but  innocence  of  life  and  humbleness  of  heart.  Truth 
is  felt,  not  reasoned  out;  and  if  there  be  any  truths  which  are  only 
appreciable  by  the  acute  understanding,  we  may  be  sure  at  once, 
that  these  do  not  constitute  the  soul's  life,  nor  error  in  these 
the  soul's  death. 

No  doubt,  in  his  student  days,  some  of  the  Church  doctrines 
were  subjected  to  debate;  but  we  have  little  evidence  that  the 
theological  system,  as  outlined  for  him  by  his  teachers,  was,  in 
any  points,  ever  seriously  questioned.  His  mind  was  satisfied 
with  the  tenets  of  Mercersburg  Theology.  Even  in  the  early 
years  of  his  ministry,  he  complained  that,  "We  have  so  much 
cold  logic  and  speculation  in  the  world"  aiid  plead  for  "speaking 
out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart." 

371 


372  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

In  his  preaching  there  was  little  to  appeal  to  mental  curiosity, 
and  he  was  not  easily  drawn  into  theological  discussion  by  his 
fellow  ministers.  He  knew  how  such  discussions  readily  turn 
into  exhibitions  of  dialectic  skill  and  he  had  no  taste  for  such 
gymnastics.  A  certain  man  of  skeptical  turn  of  mind,  who  admired 
Dr.  Bausman  and  attended  his  services,  came  to  him  claiming 
a  desire  to  be  set  straight  on  certain  theological  questions.  He 
received  as  a  reply:  "I  am  so  busy  with  practical  matters,  that 
I  have  no  time  and  no  bent  for  discussing  doubts." 

It  will  be  a  surprise  to  many  to  learn  that  he  never  wrote  a 
single  article  for  The  Reformed  Church  Review,  The  Mercershurg 
Review  as  it  was  first  called  under  the  editorship  of  Dr.  Nevin, 
when  it  was  founded  in  Bausman's  student  days.  Any  articles 
he  might  have  written  for  it  would  certainly  have  been  well  re- 
ceived. The  scholarly  merit  of  his  tercentenary  address,  as 
we  have  seen,  was  immediately  recognized  by  the  great  German 
theological  review,  in  which  a  translation  of  it  was  published. 
That  his  brother  ministers  credited  him  with  ability  as  a  theolo- 
gian is  evidenced  by  the  two  attempts  to  put  him  into  a  sem- 
inary professor's  chair,  the  second  of  which  will  be  referred  to 
later  on  in  this  chapter. 

The  products  of  his  ever  busy  pen  were  wholly  concentrated 
upon  the  edification  of  the  rank  and  file  of  the  Church,  and  many 
of  us  will  be  disposed  to  think  with  Dr.  Richards  as  he  wrote  to 
Dr.  Bausman: 

I  have  often  wondered  whether  in  your  writings  you  have  not 
molded  more  Reformed  people  and  done  more  permanent  good 
than  has  been  acomplished  by  the  theological  giants  in  the 
Review.  We  can  republish  your  articles  and  they  will  continue 
to  edify  a  new  generation;  but  many  of  the  theological  disserta- 
tions of  the  past  would  be  unnoticed  to-day. 

That  Dr.  Bausman  chose  to  give  his  energy  to  proclaiming 
the  vital  and  practical  principles  of  our  religion  must  not  lead 
us  to  infer  that  he  was  indifferent  to  their  logical  formulation. 
For  the  mental  comfort  of  the  believer,  for  the  vindication  of 
the  truth,  doctrine  is  necessary  and  Dr.  Bausman  was  very  de- 
cided in  his  mental  conceptions  of  the  great  fundamentals.  The 
orthodox  view  of  the  character  of  Christ  and  of  His  atonement. 


THEOLOGY  AND  THE  CHURCH  QUESTION  373 

that  people  must  accept  Christ  in  this  world  to  be  saved  at  all, 
these  were  basic  beliefs  with  him.  The  life-giving  and  saving 
power  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  his  mind,  was  inseparable  from  his 
intellectual  conceptions  of  the  Master.  What  might  seem  to 
be  intolerance  on  Bausman's  part  must  be  explained  by  the 
importance  which  he  attached  to  the  high  view  of  the  Saviour's 
character  and  work.  In  the  first  year  of  his  ministry,  he  refused 
to  affiliate  with  a  "so-called  Christian  congregation  who  have 
but  a  mere  human  Saviour." 

In  the  latter  years  of  his  life  his  opposition  to  admitting  a 
Universalist  into  a  ministerial  association,  of  which  he  was  a 
member,  is  to  be  explained  by  his  feeling  that  in  so  doing  he 
would  be  compromising  himself  on  a  vital  doctrine  and  thus  would 
dishonor  his  Lord  and  lessen  his  own  influence.  Dr.  Bausman  was 
not  a  liberal  in  theology  and,  as  we  have  seen,  hated  Rationalism 
with  all  its  consequences.  Clear  cut  doctrinal  views  were  in  the 
background  of  his  preaching.  They  were  the  thought  vessels 
holding  for  him  the  truth  in  energetic  solution  in  the  vital  cur- 
rents of  his  warm  heart.  We  do  not  believe  that  his  theological 
conceptions  were  greatly  modified  throughout  his  long  life.  As 
Dr.  Creitz  says: 

His  mind  was  open  to  the  truth.  He  followed  with  interest 
the  thought  movements  of  his  age.  But  certain  fundamentals, 
as  he  regarded  them,  became  the  constants  of  his  life.  There 
was  a  large  realm  of  his  intellect,  however,  where  changes  were 
constantly  taking  place. 

He  realized  that  there  is  a  valid  progress  in  theology  and  he 
was  eager  to  see  the  teachers  in  the  seminaries  conversant  with 
the  latest  modern  thought.  He  believed  that  the  truth  must 
receive  fresh  statement  in  the  thought  forms  of  a  new  age.  He 
was  not  afraid  of  any  new  truth,  but  did  not  believe  that  specula- 
tions and  unproved  hypotheses  should  be  ventilated  in  the  pulpit, 
or  even  the  church  paper,  to  the  possible  unsettling  of  the  be- 
liefs of  the  faithful. 

Mrs.  T.  M.  Yundt  contributes 

an  incident  that  made  a  strong  impression  on  Mr.  Yundt.  He 
and  the  Doctor  had  been  talking  about  new  theology  in  his 


374  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

study  when  suddenly  Dr.  Bausman  rose  to  his  feet  and  exclaimed, 
"After  all,  God  reigns,  and  I  am  glad  he  is  going  to  keep  on  reign- 
ing as  long  as  this  old  earth  stands." 

Dr.  Bausman  was  imbued  with  the  great  principle  of  organic 
development  as  it  obtains  in  all  realms  of  life  and  history.  This 
had  been  strongly  emphasized  by  the  Mercersburg  teachers.  He 
was,  therefore,  not  frightened  by  evolutionary  theories  even 
when  applied  to  the  Bible  and  theology. 

He,  of  course,  strongly  deprecated  destructive  criticism  and 
speculation,  while  he  acknowledged  the  necessity  of  the  con- 
structive and  positive  sort  if  religious  thought  would  remain 
fresh  and  vital.  In  the  Reformed  Ministerium  of  Reading,  the 
majority  of  the  members,  especially  the  younger  ministers,  are 
in  sympathy  with  the  so-called  "new  theology"  and  Dr.  Baus- 
man felt  himself  obliged  sometimes  to  dissent  from  some  of  the 
views  there  so  freely  expressed.  He  told  us  a  number  of  times, 
however,  that  he  was  benefited  and  broadened  by  many  of  the 
findings  in  this  new  thought  movement  and  was  not  in  the  least 
alarmed  as  to  its  outcome. 

At  the  funeral  of  Dr.  Calvin  S.  Gerhard,  in  1902,  the  text  of 
Dr.  Bausman's  sermon  was  1  John  3:  2,  "Beloved,  now  are  we 
sons  of  God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be,  etc." 
As  he  began  by  dwelling  on  the  text,  he  remarked  that,  "In  the 
light  of  modern  knowledge,  John  might  have  said  this  very 
differently."  There  were  present,  at  the  funeral,  many  brethren 
of  the  Lutheran  communion,  nearly  all  of  whom  were  surprised 
and  took  exception  to  the  statement,  as  being  a  radical  and 
dangerous  utterance,  setting  aside  the  theory  of  inspiration  as  by 
the  sweep  of  the  hand. 

The  above  statement  shows  that  Dr.  Bausman  was  not  a  liter- 
alist.  He  was  manifestly  influenced  in  his  latter  years  by  the 
results  and  point  of  view  of  the  literary  criticism  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures.  He  never  made  much  use  of  the  revised  version  of 
the  Bible,  however,  either  in  his  public  ministrations,  or  private 
meditations,  though  he  acknowledged  its  merit  of  greater  ac- 
curacy. He,  at  one  time,  humorously  remarked  that  a  change 
in  a  text  spoiled  one  of  the  best  sermons  he  ever  had.  His  long 
and  famihar  use  of  the  authorized  version  made  him  feel  for  it, 


THEOLOGY  AND  THE  CHURCH  QUESTION  375 

as  he  said,  "a  certain  kind  of  literary  reverence,"  and  it  was 
beyond  doubt  a  powerful  influence  in  the  molding  of  his  style. 

He  was  a  strong  believer  in  special  providences.  Several 
times  in  his  life  he  was  in  great  physical  danger.  He  attributed 
his  escape  to  special  divine  intervention.  He  did  not  hesitate 
to  pray  for  a  beautiful  and  propitious  day  for  any  event  or  in- 
terest in  behalf  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  And  a  fine  day  for  any 
such  occasion,  he  would  thankfully  ascribe  to  special  divine 
favor.  This,  of  course,  was  in  keeping  with  his  feeling  of  per- 
sonal intimacy  with  God  his  Heavenly  Father. 

He  held  to  the  old  view  of  the  fall  of  man  from  grace  in  the 
sin  of  the  first  parents,  but  believed  that  all  men  could  be  saved 
if  they  would  come  to  Christ  and  follow  Him.  That  must  be 
done,  however,  in  this  life,  before  death,  for  after  "the  closing  of 
heaven's  gates  at  the  sunset  of  life,  there  will  be  no  more  ad- 
mission." 

Dr.  Bausman  believed,  with  the  Mercersburg  teachers,  that 
there  was  great  virtue  in  Holy  Baptism.  He  did  not  hold  that 
there  is  baptismal  regeneration  in  connection  with  the  act  of 
baptism  itself,  but  that  there  comes  with  the  administration  of 
this  Holy  Sacrament  a  special  baptismal  grace. 

Soon  after  Horace  Bushnell's  enlarged  edition  of  "Christian 
Nurture"  came  out  in  1860,  Dr.  Harbaugh  reviewed  it  in  the 
Messenger,  and  said: 

We  do  not  agree  with  Dr.  Bushnell  in  regard  ta  the  basis  of 
Christian  nurture — "the  child  is  to  grow  up  a  Christian  and 
never  know  himself  as  being  otherwise. "  His  nurture  starts  from 
nature — from  the  supposed  capacity  for  such  nurture  in  the 
organic  laws  of  natural  generation  under  the  power  of  gracious 
helps.  Nothing  is  necessary  but  to  put  baptismal  grace  in  the 
place  of  his  basis  and  this  becomes  the  most  powerful  discussion 
on  what  is  called  educational  religion,  ever  presented  to  the 
Christian  public.  Ministers  will  easily  discern  what  we? regard 
as  its  vitiating  principle,  and  thus  find  the  book  a  joy  to  their 
hearts. 

Dr.  Bausman  was  in  accord  with  this  view  in  the  main  and 
never  materially  changed  it.  It  is  the  view  expressed  in  his 
essay  on  " Catechetics "  in  the  "Tercentenary  Monument:" 


376  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

A  baptized  person  is  no  longer  a  natural  man  in  the  sense  of 
one  unbaptized.  Baptism  turns  the  heart  to  Christ  at  a  re- 
newing, saving  angle,  as  the  earth's  surface  in  the  spring  of  the 
year  is  turned  toward  the  sun  at  an  angle  which  will  increase 
the  life-giving  heat  of  his  rays. 

A  few  years  before  his  death,  he  was  appointed  to  read  a  paper 
before  the  Reformed  Ministerium  of  Reading.  He  read  parts 
of  the  above  essay  from  the  "Tercentenary  Monument"  without 
expressing  any  change  in  the  opinions  therein  set  forth.  He 
said,  too,  then  that  he  hoped  he  would  not  be  accused  of  plagia- 
rism for  reading  a  printed  article  which  he  himself  had  written 
before  most  of  us  were  born. 

Dr.  Bausman  likewise  held  high  views  of  the  Holy  Commun- 
ion. It  was  to  him  more  than  simply  a  symbolical  memorial 
service.  It  was  for  him  a  real  fellowship  of  the  believer  with 
the  glorified  Christ,  and  a  channel  of  heavenly  grace.  There 
was  a  strong,  mystical  strain  in  his  nature  and  he  could  easily 
realize  the  "Mystical  Presence"  of  Christ  according  to  the  views 
of  his  great  teacher.  Dr.  Nevin. 

With  him  "The  devil  is  an  actual  evil,"  not  simply  the  per- 
sonification of  "impersonal  evil."  From  his  knowledge  of  his- 
tory and  his  observations  in  the  Eternal  City,  he  was  quite  sure 
that,  "Since  the  days  of  Romulus  and  Remus  the  devil  has  been 
a  prominent  citizen  of  Rome." 

The  frequent  false  fire-alarms  which  used  to  be  sounded  from 
a  near-by  engine-house,  at  confirmation  hours  and  during  the 
most  solemn  moments  of  his  services  in  the  old  First  Church, 
Reading,  were  to  him,  he  was  wont  to  say,  convincing  proofs 
of  a  personal  devil.  He  felt  that  the  foe  of  souls  was  particularly 
aggressive  against  individuals  and  congregations  at  seasons  of 
spiritual  elevation. 

Dr.  Bausman  believed  in  the  literal  resurrection  of  the  body 
in  the  hereafter  and  declared  that  he  would  be  exceedingly  un- 
comfortable in  entertaining  any  other  view. 

The  reality  of  heaven  to  Dr.  Bausman  was  a  sublime  and  in- 
spiring belief.  Of  it  he  would  take  great  delight  in  conversing 
and  corresponding  with  his  friends.  Hints  as  to  what  he  thought 
it  was  like,  we  gather  from  the  following  extract  of  a  beautiful 


THEOLOGY  AND  THE  CHURCH  QUESTION  377 

letter  of  condolence  to  his  old  teacher,  Dr.  Schaff,  on  the  death 
of  "dear  little  Philip:" 

His  active,  busy  mind  just  opening  like  an  early  bud  beneath 
a  vernal  sun;  then  suddenly  to  close  for  a  future  and  more  dur- 
able reopening  in  the  realms  of  an  eternal  spring.  Still  the 
image  of  the  lamblike,  curly-headed  boy,  romping  in  the  Sem- 
inary campus,  floats  before  my  mind.  In  the  land  of  the  blest 
he  will  continue  to  be  himself.  The  qualities  which  were  the 
loveliest  and  most  endearing  to  his  parents,  will  remain.  They 
will  meet,  see,  know  and  love  their  angel  boy  again.  Your  little 
family  in  heaven  is  growing.  Your  departed  ones  are  keeping 
each  other  blessed  company. 

He  was  a  firm  behever  in  "Heavenly  Recognition." 

"I  believe  in  the  communion  of  saints."  This  article  of  the 
creed  had,  for  Dr.  Bausman,  meanings  deeper  and  of  more  far- 
reaching  significance  than  it  has  for  most  minds.  He  recog- 
nized a  truth  in  telepathy,  which  if  not  a  definite  thought  trans- 
ference, was  a  very  real  "communion  of  human  spirits"  inde- 
pendent of  the  normal  operation  of  the  sense  organs.  There 
are  hints  in  his  letters  that  this  meant  more  to  him  than  simply 
imagination  and  the  fond  memory  of  a  friend.  Some  of  us  heard 
him  say  more  than  once,  when  discussing  the  mysteries  of  the 
soul,  and  with  an  accent,  too,  of  one  who  had  first-hand  knowl- 
edge of  the  power  of  unseen  realities,  "Ah,  brethren,"  as  Shakes- 
peare says,  "There  are  more  things  in  heaven  and  earth,  Horatio, 
than  are  dreamt  of  in  your  philosophy." 

His  intimate  and  colleague,  Dr.  McCauley,  and  also  Dr.  Har- 
baugh,  were  in  accord  with  him  in  this  belief.  With  reference 
to  the  latter,  he  had  a  very  singular  experience.  It  was  when 
he  was  studying  in  Berlin  in  the  autumn  of  1856,  in  preparation 
for  extending  his  tour  into  the  Holy  Land.  It  occurred  on  a 
Saturday,  after  he  had  attended  preparatory  services  in  the  Dom 
Kirche,  when  he  was  very  much  impressed  and  was  very  kindly 
invited  by  the  venerable  patriarch  of  the  Berlin  Clergy,  Dr. 
Strauss,  to  participate  in  the  Holy  Communion  on  the  morrow. 

Bausman  wrote  of  the  incident  in  the  Guardian: 

Very  naturally  his  sermon,  his  kind  invitation,  and  the  earnest 
self-examination  in  which  I  spent  the  remainder  of  the  day, 


378  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

helped  to  intensify  the  sad  yearnings  of  my  spirit.  On  the 
third  story  of  a  large  building,  in  the  Leipsicher  Strasse,  I  medi- 
tated and  prayed,  till  long  into  the  night.  Though  alone,  I 
felt  myself  surrounded  by  a  mysterious  presence;  a  sense  of 
spiritual  company  elevated  me  to  a  height  I  had  never  attained 
before  or  since.  I  thought  of  my  friend  Harbaugh,  in  Lancaster, 
Pennsylvania.  In  spirit,  sat  with  him  in  his  study,  and  sought 
to  unburden  myself  to  him;  and  derived  great  comfort  from  this 
unburdening.  Thus  my  spirit  soared  until  he  seemed  to  be 
with  me  in  my  Berlin  study.  His  warm  heart  touched  mine. 
His  voiceless  presence  I  felt  as  really  as  my  own  existence,  indeed, 
almost  more  so.  My  feelings  seemed  somewhat  akin  to  those  of 
Paul  in  his  vision:  "Whether  in  the  body,  I  cannot  tell; 
or  whether  out  of  the  body,  I  cannot  tell;  God  knoweth."  This 
happened  on  Saturday  evening,  October  4th. 

In  his  next  letter  which  reached  me  in  Rome,  occurs  the  fol- 
lowing passage: 

"I  must  tell  you  that,  on  Saturday  night,  October  4th,  I  had  a 
most  vivid  dream  of  you.  You  had  returned,  were  fat  and 
healthy.  There  was  a  strange  mystery  about  you.  You  did 
not  speak  much  and  always  with  great  reserve.  You  seemed 
not  to  care  about  going  out  to  your  friends  (my  father  and 
brothers).  Stayed  two  days  at  my  house  without  saying  any- 
thing about  going  out.  Said  you  had  not  received  my  letter, 
which  I  had  written  to  you  at  Berlin,  etc.  I  could  not  forget 
this  dream.  Spoke  of  it  to  my  wife.  It  was  on  my  mind  for 
days.  I  see  from  my  letter  from  you,  that  it  was  four  days  be- 
fore you  wrote.  You  must  have  been  thinking  of  me,  or  some- 
thing of  the  kind,  that  so  disturbed  my  spirit." 

How  mysterious  and  how  real  is  the  communion  of  saints. 
Through  Christ,  their  head,  their  spirits  shake  hands  across  the 
wide  ocean,  meet  and  mingle  in  felt  fellowship,  whilst  bodily 
they  live  in  remote  countries.  Above  all  is  this  gracious  inter- 
course enjoyed  in  the  holy  communion,  where  we  realize  that 
"The  saints  on  earth,  and  all  the  dead,  but  one  communion  make." 

This  mysterious  meeting  of  our  spirits  followed  me  for  a  long 
while  like  a  pleasant  dream.  I  informed  Dr.  Harbaugh  of  his 
singular  visit  to  me.  In  reply,  he  said:  "I  feel  fully  with  you  in 
your  remarks  about  the  communion  of  saints.  That  is  a  subject 
about  which  all  has  not  yet  been  said  that  is  felt  by  Christ's  own 
dear  people.  I  know  that,  in  reference  to  all  who  are  dear  to 
me,  thoughts  come  over  me  at  times,  which  have  relations  to 
thoughts  and  feelings  of  theirs.  Oh,  what  mysteries  are  these, 
in  the  midst  of  which  we  live,  and  through  the  limitations  of 
which  our  spirits  often  break,  like  light  through  a  clouded  can- 


THEOLOGY  AND  THE  CHURCH  QUESTION  379 

opy!  The  time  will  come  when  'all  that  is  in  part  shall  be  done 
away;'  when  the  deep,  earnest  prophecies  of  our  spirits  shall 
come  to  a  glorious  fulfillment." 

Akin  to  this  experience  was  another,  a  note  of  which  we  find 
on  the  margin  of  an  odd  sheet,  on  which  are  written  texts  and 
subjects  of  various  sermons  preached:  "I  had  a  dream  of  Dr. 
Harbaugh  (September  10,  1898)  in  which  I  apologized  to  him 
for  having  published  the  Harfe,  his  Pennsylvania  German  poems, 
without  asking  for  his  consent." 

During  Benjamin  Bausman's  college  and  seminary  years,  the 
Church  Question  was  uppermost  in  the  serious  discussions  of 
professors  and  students.  For  a  dozen  years  prior  to  his  going 
to  Mercersburg,  the  Tractarian  Movement  was  agitating  England 
and  its  influences  were  touching  the  American  Churches.  We 
can  be  sure  that  it  was  of  interest  to  young  Bausman.  The 
Church  Question  with  its  great  practical  import  confronted  him 
with  strong  appeal  in  the  student  period  and  during  the  first 
three  years  of  his  ministry,  prior  to  going  abroad  in  1856,  as  we 
have  seen. 

How  decidedly  he  was  influenced  by  the  atmosphere  of  thought, 
in  which  he  found  himself  in  those  days,  we  see  further  from  a 
letter  to  Rust,  written  in  November,  1853,  after  his  return  from 
the  first  Synod,  which  it  was  his  privilege  as  a  delegate  to  attend : 

Another  important  item  of  business  before  Synod  was  the  or- 
dination of  a  minister  by  a  special  meeting  of  the  Philadelphia 
Classis.  The  meeting  having  but  one  elder  present,  was  de- 
clared irregular.  Now  the  question  arose,  is  an  irregular  body 
competent  to  impart  a  valid  ordination?  The  discussion  was 
able  and  instructive  on  both  sides,  and  consumed  the  better 
part  of  a  day.  It  was  a  question  between  Episcopacy  and  Pres- 
byterianism.  Nay,  it  finally  threatened  the  validity  of  our  own 
ordination.  Does  the  Gospel  require  a  plurality  of  ministers  to 
ordain,  or  can  one  man  ordain,  as  did  some  of  the  apostles? 
Zwingli  was  ordained  by  one  man,  the  Bishop  of  Florence.  If  we 
pronounce  the  ordination  of  this  minister  invalid,  because  there 
was  but  one  elder  present,  we  unchurch  ourselves.  Here  was  a 
dilemma,  terrible  though  amusing  in  some  respects.  Some  of 
the  brethren  were  on  the  point  of  being  frightened,  some  even 
doubted  the  validity  of  their  own  ordination,  of  which  I  had 
some  misgivings.     Others,  who  perhaps  had  never  thought  of 


380  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

these  difficulties,  evinced  faces  beaming  with  the  anguish  of  an 
unwelcome  as  well  as  an  unpopular  discovery.  But  there  it  was. 
Finally,  Synod  pronounced  the  meeting  irregular  in  point  of 
order,  but  valid  as  to  power;  in  other  words,  the  ordination  was 
made  vaHd. 

Ach!  I  wish  I  could  have  a  talk  with  you  on  these  matters. 

Any  misgivings  Mr.  Bausman  may  have  had  regarding  the 
validity  of  his  own  ordination,  however,  we  can  be  sure  were 
but  a  passing  thought,  for  he  was  of  a  temper  to  feel  the  inner 
authority  of  the  divine  call  to  the  ministry,  and  knew  he  was  in 
the  true  succession  of  the  apostles  because  he  had  their  spirit. 

Dr.  Bausman  always  considered  himself  a  churchman  and 
that  meant  to  him  more  than  simply  allegiance  to  certain  forms 
of  devotion,  rather  the  ardent  belief  that  the  Church  was  the 
very  body  of  Christ,  the  channel  through  which  the  Master's 
life  flowed  down  through  the  centuries,  the  agent  through  which 
Christ's  work  is  done  in  the  world. 

He  loved  the  old  and  approved  forms  of  worship  in  which  re- 
ligious truth  found  such  classic  expression.  When  he  was  at 
the  home  of  Jesus  in  Palestine,  he  worshipped  with  English 
friends  and  said:  "The  Litany  impressed  me  with  new  and 
solemn  force.  Here,  in  this  frail  tent  at  Nazareth,  we  prayed: 
*By  the  mystery  of  Thy  Holy  Incarnation,  Good  Lord  deliver 
us.'" 

When  he  was  in  Glasgow  in  1856,  he  worshipped  with  a  Church 
of  England  congregation  and  said: 

The  devotional  part  of  the  services  was  exceedingly  edifying 
to  me.  It  is  much  easier  to  worship  with  a  devout  frame  of  mind 
where  there  is  a  Liturgy.  Still,  the  English  Liturgy  must  be- 
come very  monotonous.  They  repeated  the  Lord's  prayer  four 
times  during  the  service. 

He  always  saw  the  perils  of  formalism  in  liturgical  worship, 
but  he  had  this  to  say  further: 

The  Scotch  lay  great  stress  on  so-called  simplicity  in  worship. 
They  have  a  righteous  antipathy  to  forms  of  devotion,  save  their 
version  of  the  Psalms.  In  their  extreme  opposition  to  liturgical 
forms,  they  have  themselves  become  formalists.  They  have 
become  formally  informal,  ceremoniously  unceremonious.     Very 


THEOLOGY  AND  THE  CHURCH  QUESTION  381 

able  their  prayers  are,  but  painfully  lacking  devotional  unction. 
Often  they  present  in  their  prayers  intrusive  expositions  of 
precious  truths,  definitions  of  the  attributes  and  decrees  of  God, 
to  which  every  person  listens  with  laborious  attention.  Under 
such  prayers,  the  mind  is  feasted  while  the  heart  is  famished. 
The  wrestlings  and  yearnings  of  burdened,  contrite  hearts  find 
no  outlet  through  them.  Unction  in  worship  is  an  essential 
part  of  religion. 

He  said  further,  and  the  words  which  follow,  as  well  as  the 
paragraph  preceding,  are  from  "Wayside  Gleanings,"  published 
nearly  twenty  years  after  the  visit  abroad: 

The  German  churches  still  retain  much  of  the  liturgical  spirit 
of  the  Reformation.  Their  liturgical  services  are  generally  free 
from  the  recitative  and  the  mechanical.  These  German  brethren 
have  most  excellent  liturgical  talents.  The  use  of  a  good  Liturgy 
produces  uniformity  in  worship,  and  prevents  the  haphazard 
random  habit  of  mind,  which  profanes  our  approach  to  God  and 
distracts  the  simple  devotion  of  worshipers.  Here  the  prayers 
were  not  the  subjective  thinking  of  one  man,  but  the  general 
vehicle  for  the  praises  and  prayers  of  the  whole  congregation. 

These  sentiments,  favorable  to  liturgical  worship,  may  not 
seem  to  be  in  accord  with  Pastor  Bausman's  actual  practice. 
The  services  in  his  own  church  would  be  regarded  as  free.  The 
Creed,  the  Gloria  in  Excelsis,  the  Gloria  Patri  and  the  Lord's 
Prayer  were  regularly  used,  though  the  prayers  were  generally 
free  as  offered  by  the  minister.  However,  churchliness  with 
Dr.  Bausman  was  not  synonymous  with  reading  prayers;  it  con- 
sisted rather  in  the  order,  dignity,  reverence  and  devoutness  of 
a  religious  service.  It  was  a  matter  of  spirit  rather  than  of  form. 
Moreover,  the  errors  in  the  office  of  prayer  to  which  the  non- 
ritualistic  ministers  of  Scotland  were  so  prone,  did  not  appear 
in  Pastor  Bausman's  ministrations  which  were  characterized 
by  unction  and  devoutness.  Gifted  as  he  was  in  the  power  of 
prayer,  one  cannot  conceive  of  him  as  tying  himself  down  ex- 
clusively to  the  prayers  of  a  Liturgy.  He  felt  that  there  were 
many  things  to  pray  for  which  were  not  noted  in  the  Liturgy, 
and  that  the  spontaneity  and  aptness  which  were  possible  in 
free  prayer  were  invaluable  elements  of  worship.  Nevertheless, 
he  always  had  a  copy  of  the  Liturgy  on  the  altar  in  his  church, 


382  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

and  on  the  great  festival  days  of  the  church  year,  its  matchless, 
comprehensive  prayers  were  often  used.  At  the  Holy  Com- 
munion services  and  those  preparatory  to  the  same,  the  desig- 
nated worship  of  the  Liturgy  was  followed.  At  the  latter  serv- 
ices, the  Litany  was  statedly  used,  though  he  expressed  disap- 
proval of  the  petition  for  deliverance  "from  sudden  death,"  as 
implying  a  lack  of  preparation  for  it,  of  which  the  true  Christian 
should  not  be  guilty. 

Dr.  Bausman's  concern  was  that  people  should  worship  in 
spirit  and  in  truth,  and  he  detested  barren  formalism  in  what- 
ever manner  it  might  appear.  However  strong  the  aesthetic 
appeal  of  the  familiar  Liturgy  might  be  to  him,  a  question  of 
greater  concern  was  the  feeling  and  desire  of  the  people  touching 
the  method  of  worship.  They  should  be  permitted  to  express 
their  hearts'  devotion  in  ways  that  would  be  most  comforting 
and  helpful  to  themselves.  He  felt  it  was  wrong  to  force  any 
form  of  worship  upon  a  people  against  their  desires.  No  par- 
ticular form  or  mode  could  be  said  inherently  to  be  superior  to 
another.  The  purpose  to  be  accomplished  should  determine  the 
methods  to  be  employed.  He  never  substituted  means  for  ends. 
He  always  kept  his  eyes  on  the  people  with  sympathy  and  sanity 
and  adapted  his  methods  so  as  to  effect  the  largest  measure  of 
edification.  Of  course,  a  congregation  could  be  educated  to  feel 
at  home  in  and  love  new  forms  of  worship,  but  the  old  customs 
of  the  simple  common  people,  especially  in  religion,  die  hard. 
The  country  folk  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania,  in  the  Reformed 
denomination,  had  high  regard  for  the  Church  and  her  ordinances. 
The  pulpit  was  with  them  in  the  middle  of  the  platform  and  the 
altar  in  front  of  it  and  free  prayers  were  offered  by  the  ministers. 
With  people  coming  from  the  country  into  cities  like  Reading 
by  the  thousands,  it  was  of  vital  importance  for  their  spiritual 
welfare  that  they  should  become  identified  with  city  churches 
as  soon  as  possible,  and  Dr.  Bausman  was  eager  to  make  them 
feel  at  home  with  familiar  forms  and  methods.  His  great  suc- 
cess proved  his  wisdom  in  this. 

He  did  not  think  it  possible  or  desirable  to  have  all  the  con- 
gregations of  his  denomination  worship  in  precisely  the  same 
fashion.     They  differed  too  much  in  culture,  training  and  tem- 


THEOLOGY  AND  THE  CHURCH  QUESTION         383 

per,  and  in  the  same  way  pastors  would  differ.  Uniformity  was 
not  necessary  to  unity.  This  liberty,  however,  was  always  to 
be  exercised  within  the  bounds  of  the  true,  churchly,  reverential 
spirit.  We  have  seen  how,  already  in  his  student  days,  his 
soul  recoiled  from  the  performances  of  boisterous  revivalists. 
In  the  Guardian  and  Messenger,  we  read  of  his  protest  against 
an  unchurchly  spirit  liable  to  assert  itself  in  Sunday-schools, 
particularly  in  connection  with  the  music.  He  believed  in 
"Hymns  as  Educators."  "Good  hymns  cannot  be  sung  too 
often,  cannot  spoil  by  use.  Familiarity  with  them  breeds  rev- 
erence and  not  contempt."  He  severely  criticized  "the  prolific 
Sunday-school  Muse  giving  birth  to  a  music-book  every  few 
months,  producing  a  mass  of  semi-pagan  productions,  contain- 
ing scarcely  enough  sound,  moral  teaching  to  blind  the  minds  of 
the  unsuspecting  to  their  pernicious  ingredients;  pandering  to 
the  natural  passion  for  tales  of  fictitious  piety  and  artificial  sor- 
row, so  as  to  make  their  stuff  more  palatable  to  the  unsancti- 
fied  heart.  What  then  shall  be  done  with  the  Sunday-school 
Muse?  First  gag  her.  Although  this  is  a  free  country,  and  the 
Muse  is  an  unshackled  fowl,  let  her  be  silenced  as  soon  as  may  be. " 

He  held  that  the  Sunday-school  should  be  a  training  school 
in  devotional  spirit  and  in  every  way  for  church  membership. 
That  the  centrality  of  the  church  in  the  Christian's  life  might 
be  emphasized,  he  wanted  the  children  to  be  baptized  in  the 
sanctuary,  and  he  made  regular  announcement  for  the  baptism 
of  children  on  the  first  Sunday  of  every  month. 

Tolerant  and  generous  regarding  the  various  tendencies  in 
doctrine  and  cultus  in  his  own  denomination,  he  was  kindly  and 
broad-minded  toward  other  denominations,  whether  Methodist 
on  the  one  hand  or  Roman  Catholic  on  the  other,  believing  that 
they  severally  were  fitted  for  doing  a  peculiar  work  in  the  king- 
dom of  God.  That  this  feehng  was  not  simply  an  empty  senti- 
ment, he  showed  on  one  occasion,  when  the  agent  of  the  Ameri- 
can and  Foreign  Christian  Union  preached  in  his  church.  He 
wrote  of  it:  "Terrible  onslaught  on  the  papacy  for  which  I  re- 
proved him  after  his  sermon.  He  then  told  the  congregation 
he  was  glad  I  corrected  him  and  explained  away  some  of  his 
harsh  expressions. " 


384  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

The  Liturgical  Controversy  raged  with  vehement  bitterness  in 
the  Reformed  Church  during  the  twenty-five  years  after  Ben- 
jamin Bausman's  entrance  on  the  work  of  the  ministry.  "The 
Provisional  Liturgy"  was  published  in  1857  and  "The  Order  of 
Worship,"  a  revision  of  the  former,  appeared  nine  years  later. 
As  a  protest  against  the  alleged  "high  church"  positions  and 
tendencies  finding  expression  in  these  books  of  worship,  came 
the  "Myerstown  Convention"  in  1867  and  the  opening  of  Ur- 
sinus  College  in  September,  1870.  The  Peace  Movement  was 
inaugurated  at  the  General  Synod  of  Lancaster  in  1878  with  a 
view  of  reconciling  the  contending  parties,  and  in  1884  a  com- 
promise book,  "The  Directory  of  Worship,"  was  adopted  by  the 
General  Synod  as  the  official  Liturgy  of  the  Church,  which  was 
in  due  time  approved  by  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  Classes  of 
the  denomination. 

Benjamin  Bausman  was  in  the  prime  of  his  vigor  during  this 
quarter  of  a  century  of  ecclesiastical  battle,  but  not  a  contro- 
versial word  do  we  find  from  his  pen  on  the  subject,  nor  any  evi- 
dence of  his  ever  taking  sides  in  its  public  discussion.  He  seems 
to  have  had  a  silent  resolve  not  to  participate,  but  to  hold  him- 
self to  the  path  of  practical  activities  which  he  had  marked  out, 
and  he  never  swerved  from  it.  He  realized  how  almost  impos- 
sible it  is  for  anyone  to  engage  actively  in  such  a  discussion 
without  becoming  a  partisan,  and  partisanship  has  its  perils  in 
the  limitations  which  it  puts  on  a  man  even  in  his  search  for 
truth.  As  a  great  English  teacher  has  said:  "I  seem  to  find  it 
more  and  more  hopeless  to  get  men  to  think  and  inquire  freely 
and  fairly,  after  they  have  once  taken  their  side  in  life." 

Dr.  Bausman's  non-committal  attitude  was  not  due  to  any 
undervaluation  of  the  importance  of  the  questions  under  dis- 
cussion. Again  and  again,  he  said  there  were  great  problems 
which  needed  to  be  clarified  by  earnest  debate  and  in  spite  of 
bitterness  and  ugly  personalities,  he  believed  the  ordeal  had  its 
beneficent  effects  and  its  results  were  good.  He  had  little  taste 
for  fencing  with  another  in  argument;  but  if  he  chose,  he  could 
show  himself  a  formidable  antagonist.  It  is  true  that  between 
the  two  sides,  his  sympathies  were,  in  a  measure,  divided.  He 
did  not  believe  that  all  the  truth  was  on  one  side,  yet,  when  in 


THEOLOGY  AND  THE  CHURCH  QUESTION  385 

any  church  judicatory  he  was  called  on  as  a  delegate  to  vote 
on  a  resolution  involving  the  Church  Question,  he,  as  a  rule, 
stood  by  his  old  teachers.  He  did  not  believe  that  Mercersburg 
Theology  and  Cultus  were  a  perversion  of  old  Reformed  doctrine 
or  worship,  but  a  legitimate  and  proper  development  in  harmony 
with  the  needs  of  the  age.  Some  of  the  Mercersburg  thinkers, 
he  granted,  were  extreme,  they  pushed  phases  of  truth  to  un- 
warranted conclusions,  but  such  excesses  were  sure  to  arise  in 
any  aggressive  thought  movement.  The  new,  energetic  ideas 
from  the  momitain  town  in  Franklin  County,  tossed  into  the 
thought  arena  of  a  complacent  Church,  were  sure  to  arouse  an- 
tagonism; but  the  great  Controversy  he  regarded  as  inevitable 
and  on  the  whole,  beneficent  in  the  order  of  the  Church's  his- 
toric progress.  He  saw  the  truth  and  the  extremes  of  emphasis 
on  both  sides,  and  neither  had  a  monopoly  in  exhibiting  the 
Christian  graces  in  the  heat  of  the  fight.  He  objected  decidedly 
to  coercing  either  the  ministers  or  the  common  people,  touching 
methods  of  worship  wherein  freedom  is  the  Christian's  inalien- 
able right.  In  this,  as  in  so  many  things,  he  showed  himself 
prophetic,  a  score  of  years  ahead  of  his  time,  for  the  practical 
outcome  of  the  Peace  Movement  was,  that  every  congregation 
should  be  privileged  to  worship  after  whatever  fashion  it  pleased, 
and  the  fact  is  that  the  congregations  of  the  denomination  do 
please  to  differ  very  much.  If  the  outcome  of  a  great  contro- 
versy was  this  diversity  of  practice,  one  may  well  ask — wherefore 
all  the  powder  and  smoke?  Well,  it  may  be  worth  while  to  have 
a  long-drawn-out  battle  to  find  out  that,  after  all,  there  are  some 
things  which  cannot  be  accomplished  by  contending.  To  feed 
the  souls  of  the  people  with  simple,  vital  truth,  to  encourage  the 
processes  of  Christian  nurture  in  the  rank  and  file  of  the  member- 
ship, these  were  humble  paths  in  which  Dr.  Bausman  chose  to 
walk  and  labor  and  in  so  doing,  he  felt  he  was  following  after 
the  things  that  made  for  peace.  He  certainly  agreed  with  Dr. 
Arnold,  who  said:  "Make  the  church  a  living  and  active  so- 
ciety, like  that  of  the  first  Christians,  and  then  differences  of 
opinion  will  either  cease  or  will  signify  nothing. " 

His  broad-minded  charity,  touching  method  and  manner  of 
church  worship  on  the  one  hand,  and  his  devotion  to  the  prac- 
25 


386  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

tical  affairs  of  the  Church  and  his  great  success  therein  on  the 
other,  were  a  fine  example  to  the  Church  of  what  she  should  be 
and  do,  the  very  things  which  came  to  pass  when  the  Church 
came  to  herself  in  the  happy  issues  of  the  Peace  Movement. 

This  Movement  brought  great  joy  to  Dr.  Bausman's  heart, 
and  his  whole  great  influence  was  given  to  furthering  all  it  stood 
for.  The  Movement  originated  formally  in  the  now  famous 
paper,  presented  to  the  General  Synod  of  Lancaster  in  1878, 
by  Dr.  Clement  Z.  Weiser.  The  paper  called  for  the  creation, 
by  the  several  district  Synods,  of  a  Commission  "proportionately 
representing  the  true  tendencies  in  the  Church,  who  shall  consider 
and  solemnly  deliberate  over  all  matters  in  controversy  within 
the  Church,  with  a  view  of  devising  a  plan  of  amicable  adjust- 
ment. " 

Dr.  Bausman  was  made  a  member  of  the  committee  whose 
work  it  was  "to  arrange  the  details  for  the  creation  of  the  Com- 
mission," and  he  presented  to  the  same  General  Synod,  the 
resolutions  urging  "ministers  and  members,"  "editors  and  pro- 
fessors" "to  use  their  official  and  personal  influence  for  the 
cultivation  of  mutual  confidence  and  peace;"  and  that  "the 
members  of  all  ecclesiastical  bodies,  in  their  deliberations  and 
decisions,  should  have  due  and  charitable  regard  for  each  other's 
conscientious  convictions."  When,  three  years  later,  the  re- 
port of  the  Peace  Commission  was  adopted  at  Tiffin,  Ohio,  "the 
SjTiod,  with  mingled  feelings  of  solemnity  and  joy,  united  in 
singing  the  Doxology,  'Praise  God  from  whom  all  blessings  flow' 
and  joined  in  special  prayer,  led  by  Rev.  Benjamin  Bausman, 
D.  D." 

He  was  chairman  of  the  committee  which  drafted  "the  fur- 
ther action  as  called  for  by  the  adoption  of  the  report  of  the 
Peace  Commission,"  and  two  undertakings  were  the  outcome. 
The  members  of  the  Peace  Commission  continued  as  a  committee 
and  prepared  "The  Directory  of  Worship;"  and  another  com- 
mittee was  elected  which  proceeded  "to  provide  a  hymn-book 
for  the  use  of  the  whole  English  portion  of  the  Church."  Dr. 
Bausman,  as  we  have  seen,  was  chairman  of  this  hymn-book 
committee.  "The  Directory  of  Worship"  which  was  officially 
declared  to  be  the  Liturgy  of  the  Reformed  Church  by  the  General 


THEOLOGY   AND    THE    CHURCH   QUESTION  387 

Synod  of  1887,  was  within  the  year  following,  introduced  by 
Dr.  Bausman  into  St.  Paul's  Church.  No  doubt,  he  considered 
the  "Directory"  inferior  to  the  "Order"  from  the  literary  and 
constructive  point  of  view,  nevertheless,  as  a  loyal  churchman, 
he  felt  bound  to  stand  by  the  decision  of  the  whole  Church, 
whatever  other  congregations  or  ministers  might  do  or  fail  to  do. 
A  glimpse  of  how  he  yearned  for  the  unity  of  his  distracted 
denomination,  we  see  in  the  following  extract  from  a  letter  to  a 
warm  friend  who  was  not  in  sympathy  with  what  the  institutions 
at  Lancaster  stood  for: 

I  am  sorry  that  you  have  so  little  faith  in  the  Peace  Movement. 
Whatever  individuals  may  do  or  say,  on  either  side,  this  thing  is 
from  God.  You  must  not  hold  it  responsible  for  what  one  man 
may  do  here  or  there.  Let  me  assure  you,  our  dear  Reformed 
Church  has  been  apprehended  by  this  blessed  Spirit,  and  I  most 
devoutly  bless  God  for  it.  Any  man  who  puts  himself  in  the 
way  of  it,  be  he  a  Lancaster  or  an  Ursinus  man,  will  find  himself 
stranded  ere  long.  In  its  development,  I  may  have  to  give  up 
some  of  my  individual  preferences,  and  you  may  have  to  give  up 
some  of  yours.  Should  we  not  be  willing  to  do  this  for  Christ's 
sake?  I  am  trying  to  assume  that  all  the  brethren  in  sjonpathy 
with  the  Peace  Movement  are  sincere.  I  believe  the  brethren 
at  Lancaster  feel  so  too,  whatever  they  may  have  said  or  written 
in  the  past.  The  controlling  sentiment  of  the  Church  is  a  unit 
on  this  subject,  and  those  brethren  will  fall  in  with  it.  If  they 
do  not,  they  will  strand  high  and  dry.  You  seem  to  suspect  all 
the  while  that  there  is  a  man  behind  the  door.  Mutual  confi- 
dence is  a  powerful  healer  of  strife,  as  is  clearly  seen  by  this 
Movement  thus  far.  You  have  kindly  confided  in  me;  thus  do 
I  in  you,  and  hence  I  speak  thus  frankly.  I  cherish  the  kindest 
feelings  towards  you,  and  do  not  dispute  your  sincerity.  God 
bless  you  and  yours  and  lead  us  as  individuals  and  as  a  Church 
to  do  His  will. 

Dr.  Bausman's  best  friends  were  sometimes  displeased  and 
impatient  with  him  because  he  refused  to  lend  his  powerful  in- 
fluence to  partisan  controversy.  He  was  "a  man  of  peace," 
as  Dr.  J.  Spangler  Kieffer  put  it,  who  said  further  in  a  fine  ar- 
ticle of  appreciation  after  his  death: 

Dr.  Bausman  did  not  shine  in  controversy;  he  was  not  in 
his  element  there.     He  was  at  his  best,  not  in  times  of  strife,  but 


388  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BATJSMAN 

when  peace  reigned  within  the  Church's  borders;  when  its  parts 
and  its  members  were  *'knit  together  in  love;"  when  the  pro- 
cesses going  forward  were  those  of  natural  and  normal  activity 
and  growth.  His  forte  was  not  to  contend  against  an  opposing 
party,  but  to  watch  over  the  growth  of  precious  seed.  Once, 
within  the  period  of  his  ministry,  there  were  years  of  contro- 
versy in  the  Reformed  Church;  controversy  which  was  not  with- 
out its  significance  nor  without  its  valuable  results,  but  which 
must  have  been  a  sore  trial  to  the  peace-loving  soul  of  Dr.  Baus- 
man.  He  had  little  or  no  part  in  it.  I  happen  to  remember 
certain  words  spoken  by  him  in  the  midst  of  that  strife.  It  was 
at  the  General  Synod  of  Cincinnati,  in  1872.  It  was  a  somewhat 
stormy  meeting  of  that  body.  Much  of  the  valuable  time  of 
that  Synod  was  occupied  in  the  hearing  of  vexatious  appeals  and 
complaints  growing  out  of  the  distracted  condition  of  the  Church 
and  the  contentions  of  opposite  parties.  When  these  had  finally 
been  disposed  of.  Dr.  Bausman,  whose  voice  had  not  been  heard 
in  the  discussion  of  them,  found  opportunity  to  make  an  earnest 
plea  for  the  resumption  by  the  Church,  with  increased  energy, 
of  her  missionary  activities.  It  was  in  the  course  of  this  speech 
that  the  words  to  which  I  have  referred  were  spoken.  Referring 
to  the  business  which  the  Synod  had  just  been  engaged  in,  he  ex- 
claimed: "I  am  weary  of  appeals  and  complaints."  The  words, 
spoken  with  a  sort  of  passionate  earnestness,  with  a  certain  half- 
mournful  vehemence,  made  a  deep  impression  on  me.  I  seemed  to 
recognize  in  them  the  turning  of  the  tide.  They  were,  as  far  as 
I  remember,  one  of  the  earliest  notes  of  protest  and  revolt;  one 
of  the  first  prophecies  of  that  period  of  peace  and  practical  ac- 
tivity which  was  then  not  far  off,  and  many  years  of  which  he 
was  destined  still  to  see. 

Dr.  Bausman  hated  strife  because  it  was  alien  to  the  Chris- 
tian spirit  and  because  it  hindered  the  progress  of  the  kingdom. 
The  stirring  up  of  bad  blood  in  acrimonious  discussion  grieved 
and  depressed  him,  even  though  he  was  not  immediately 
concerned  in  the  question  involved.  There  are  numerous  diary 
notes  to  this  effect. 

After  the  Synod  of  1859,  we  read: 

A  stormy  S3mod,  passionate,  lacked  dignity.  May  the  Lord 
overrule  it  for  good.     Returned  with  a  sad  heart. 

After  a  meeting  of  Classis : 

Rude  squalls;  coarse  personalities.     Feel  sad.     We  brethren 


THEOLOGY  AND  THE  CHURCH  QUESTION  389 

have  tried  to  do  something  for  our  poor  Reformed  Church.     God 
in  mercy  bless  our  efforts. 

When  troubles  were  nearer  home : 

Intensely  discouraged.  Strife  and  discord  in  my  flock.  Feel 
like  running  away  across  the  sea.  Perhaps  wrong.  O  for  grace 
to  bear  the  worst  and  contend  manfully  for  the  right. 

Discord  in  a  sister  congregation  called  for  the  prayer:  "Alas, 
may  the  Lord  soon  heal  it." 

Nothing  was  more  gratifying  to  him  than  to  have  a  hand  in 
healing  a  breach  between  individuals.  "The  Lord  enabled  us  to 
reconcile  the  brothers and who  have  been  at  vari- 
ance for  some  years.     God  be  praised." 

Dr.  Bausman's  mediating  position  and  conciliatory  spirit  were 
well  known  throughout  the  Church,  and  he  was  trusted  by  all 
parties.  After  the  inauguration  of  the  Peace  Movement  in  1878, 
Dr.  J.  H.  A.  Bomberger,  president  of  Ursinus  College,  wrote  a 
letter  in  "fraternal  cordiality"  relative  to  "the  auspicious  turn 
of  affairs  at  Lancaster."  He  said  that  he  and  his  friends  had 
desired,  at  the  special  meeting  of  Synod,  held  in  Harrisburg 
in  March,  1868,  to  have  Bausman  elected  to  the  chair  of  Dog- 
matic and  Practical  Theology,  made  vacant  by  the  death  of  Dr. 
Harbaugh.  Bausman  was  not  present  at  this  special  meeting 
of  Synod,  but  his  name  seems  to  have  been  suggested  for  the 
professorial  vacancy.  Certain  friends  of  his  claimed  to  have 
been  authorized  by  him  to  say  that  his  name  must  not  be  used 
at  all.  Alluding  to  this  effort  to  nominate  Dr.  Bausman,  Dr. 
Bomberger  went  on  to  say  in  the  letter : 

It  was  done  sincerely  and  in  the  hope  that  your  election  and 
acceptance  would  change  the  unhappy  theological,  etc.  current 
then  in  full  sweep,  and  prevent,  under  God,  many  evils  which 
I  then  saw  threatening  the  Church,  and  which  alas!  have  since 
then  befallen  us.  It  was  confidently  hoped  your  election  would 
prevent  great  misfortune.  One  consequence,  which  I  personally 
desired  to  avoid  was  the  founding  of  another  institution.  It  had 
been  talked  of  for  some  time  (three  or  four  years)  before;  but  I 
always  discouraged  and  withstood  the  proposal.  And  mainly 
for  two  reasons:  1.  To  do  so  would  formally  draw  and  fix  the 
lines  of  division  between  what  have  been  called  the  two  tenden- 
cies, (though  I  do  not  admit  for  my  part  having  any  tendency 


390  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

but  to  maintain  the  old  Reformed  Church)  and  so  widen  in  fact, 
if  not  formally,  the  breach.  I  foresaw  clearly  what  such  a  move- 
ment would  necessarily  involve  and  ardently  wished  to  shun  it. 
2.  It  was  evident  in  advance,  that  were  a  new  institution  started, 
I  would  have  to  take  hold  of  it,  and  I  was  intensely  averse  to  re- 
linquishing my  pastoral  work  for  any  other  position. 

Dr.  Bomberger  intimates  in  this  letter  that  his  effort  to  put 
Dr.  Bausman  into  a  professor's  chair  may  have  displeased  the 
latter  and  he  offered  his  "frank  apology  for  participation  in  it." 

The  long  and  interesting  letter  concludes: 

Pardon  this  trespass  on  your  time  and  patience.  But  to  the 
friend  of  my  youth,  the  son  of  my  grandparents  and  parents' 
warmest  friends,  and  my  fellow  brother  in  the  grace  of  the  gospel, 
I  felt  constrained  to  open  my  heart. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  that  Dr.  Bausman  was  emphatically 
opposed  to  the  above  proposal.  He  had  definitely  decided  for 
himself  in  1861,  that  he  would  not  go  to  the  Seminary  as  a  pro- 
fessor, and  that  the  pastorate  should  be  the  sphere  of  his  life  work. 
Moreover,  if  he  had  been  nominated,  it  by  no  means  follows  that 
he  would  have  been  elected. 

Would  Dr.  Bausman's  going  to  a  professor's  chair  have  pre- 
vented the  founding  of  Ursinus  College?  Would  it  have  been 
better  for  all  parties  and  interests  concerned  not  to  found  another 
college,  rather  than  to  allow  a  tendency  to  work  itself  out  freely 
in  an  institution  of  its  own?  These  questions  naturally  arise 
in  one's  mind  as  he  considers  the  possibilities  involved  in  Baus- 
man's going  to  the  Seminary  in  1868.  We  are  quite  sure  it 
would  have  been  a  position  less  congenial  than  the  pastorate 
and  perhaps  in  the  end  not  more  influential.  He  doubtless  re- 
membered very  vividly  the  double  fire  of  criticism  which  he  en- 
dured as  editor  of  the  Messenger  in  his  effort  to  steer  steadily 
between  extremes,  and  did  not  pine  to  be  in  such  a  situation 
again.  A  new  institution  was  founded  embodying  and  express- 
ing certain  principles  in  the  Reformed  Church.  There  are  those 
who  think  that  men  of  the  amicable  spirit  of  Dr.  Bausman  pre- 
vented further  breach  and  actual  schism  in  the  founding  of  a 
new  denomination. 

In  1876,  when  Dr.  Nevin  resigned  the  presidency  of  Franklin 


THEOLOGY   AND    THE    CHURCH   QUESTION  391 

and  Marshall  College,  there  was  strong  feeling  on  the  part  of 
some  who  wanted  Dr.  Bausman  to  be  his  successor.  Dr.  C.  Z. 
Weiser  wrote  him:  "We  want  you  there  wahrhaftig!*  You 
are  my  man  and  no  other  one.  I  have  spoken  to  many  and  good 
men  about  it.  They  all  fall  in  sanguinely.  Dr.  Nevin  wants 
you.     This  I  know." 

Dr.  Bausman  commanded  the  confidence  of  all  sections  of  the 
Church  in  those  controversial  days,  a  consideration  of  no  little 
value  for  a  college  president.  His  ability  in  leadership  and  in 
raising  funds  had  been  shown.  He  said  to  his  friends,  however: 
"You  are  mistaken  in  your  man  if  you  think  I  would  be  a  second 
Cattell" — alluding  to  the  man  who  was  then  President  of 
Lafayette  College  and  was  evincing  executive  ability  of  a  high 
order.  He  did  not  consider  the  proposition  seriously.  In  1863, 
he  had  made  his  decision  against  a  college  presidency. 

By  voice  and  pen  he  had  dedicated  himself  to  the  nurture  and 
uplift  of  the  common  people  of  the  Church.  His  strength  lay 
along  those  lines  and  he  knew  it.  He  was  a  mighty  builder  in 
the  Church  of  Christ.  He  wrought  his  spirit  into  the  people 
with  whom  he  labored  and  into  the  institutions  which  he  fostered. 
His  works  follow  him. 

Dr.  Musser,  the  editor  of  the  Messenger,  said  after  Dr.  Baus- 
man's  death: 

He  was  a  great  preacher.  He  would  have  ranked  among  the 
best  preachers  of  any  Church.  In  our  own  Church  he  has  had  no 
superior  and  scarce  an  equal.  He  was  a  master  of  men,  a  far- 
seeing  churchman,  "the  grand  old  man"  of  the  Reformed  Church 
in  the  United  States. 

Dr.  A.  R.  Bartholomew,  Secretary  of  the  Foreign  Mission 
Board,  says: 

Dr.  Bausman  was  the  greatest  influence  for  good  in  the  Re- 
formed Church  during  the  nineteenth  century. 

*  Positively. 


CHAPTER  XX 

The  Associate  Pastorate — 1900-1909 

DR.  BAUSMAN  was  enabled  to  continue  in  the  active  pas- 
torate to  the  close  of  his  long  life,  because  he  secured  the 
services  of  a  competent  and  congenial  associate,  who  took  from 
his  shoulders  the  more  burdensome  exactions  of  his  large  city- 
parish. 

On  Sunday  morning,  the  22nd  of  July,  1900,  Dr.  Baus- 
man  preached  a  sermon  on  "Parallels  in  Ancient  and  Modern 
Pastorates,"  from  2  Corinthians  8:  23,  "Whether  any  inquire 
about  Titus  my  partner  and  fellow  worker  to  you-ward."  He 
closed  by  reading  a  brief  statement  of  his  thirty-seven  years' 
work  in  Reading.     He  said  among  other  things: 

The  congregation's  burdens  were  turned  into  blessings. 

By  laying  her  offerings  on  other  altars,  she  was  enabled  to 
enlarge  her  building  and  pay  all  her  debts. 

In  a  certain  sense  it  seems  strange  that  I  should  be  here  to-day, 
that  the  clerical  invalid  of  thirty-seven  years  ago  should,  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  1900,  be  the  hale  and  happy  shepherd  of  a 
large,  united  flock  as  dear  to  him  as  life  itself. 

I  am  not  tired  of  you,  and  God  be  thanked,  you  do  not  seem 
to  be  tired  of  me.  To  my  mind,  this  is  wonderful.  You  seem 
to  have  overlooked  my  failings  and  to  be  blind  to  the  infirmities 
of  my  age.  Sooner  or  later  every  pastorate  must  come  to  an 
end.  I  have  been  looking  toward  the  end  of  mine,  not  ^vithout 
a  pang. 

To  some  congregations,  the  end  of  a  pastorate  is  the  begin- 
ning of  strife.  In  order  to  guard  against  this,  five  years  ago  I 
convened  an  advisory  council,  composed  of  elders,  and  those 
who  were  formerly  in  the  active  eldership.  I  asked  their  advice 
as  to  how  to  resign  without  disturbing  the  harmony  of  the  church. 
Some  fifteen  men  of  ripe  experience  in  church  work  since  then 
took  part  in  our  meetings,  held  about  once  a  year.  This  body 
could  only  give  advice;  only  the  Consistory  had  power  to  take 
formal  and  official  action  in  such  a  matter.     From  the  first  to 

392 


DR.   BAUSMAN   IN   HIS  STUDY 

AT  84 


THE   ASSOCIATE   PASTORATE  393 

the  last  meeting,  this  council  unanimously  advised  against  my 
resignation,  and  urged  the  appointment  of  an  assistant  pastor. 
For  weighty  reasons,  I  deemed  it  unwise  to  take  formal  action 
in  the  case  at  once. 

Strange  as  it  may  seem,  these  five  years  of  suspense  belong  to 
the  happiest  years  of  my  ministry.  Never  has  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel  been  such  a  precious  and  inspiring  privilege,  and 
pastoral  work  among  the  people  so  comforting  to  my  soul. 
The  members  seem  to  be  a  unit,  in  work  and  worship.  The 
young  people  stood  by  their  pastor  with  filial  tenderness  and 
characteristic  zeal;  even  the  little  children  seemed  to  vie  with 
each  other  in  little  acts  of  service.  Thus,  all  helped  to  lighten 
my  burdens  and  keep  my  heart  young.  All  this  was  made 
possible  by  the  helping  God  and  the  unabated  loyalty  of  my 
dear  people. 

At  8  late  meeting  of  the  Consistory,  I  presented  my  resigna- 
tion. Its  action  on  this  subject  will  now  be  read  by  a  represen- 
tative of  that  body. 

Elder  Daniel  Miller  then  read  the  preamble  and  resolutions 
adopted  by  the  Consistory,  expressing  appreciation  of  Dr.  Baus- 
man's  great  services  in  the  past  and  their  desire  to  retain  them 
in  the  future;  therefore,  they  declined  to  accept  his  resignation 
and  authorized  him  "to  secure  for  himself  the  services  of  a  suit- 
able minister  of  the  Reformed  Church  to  assist  him  in  his  pas- 
toral work." 

Mr.  Miller  also  read  Dr.  Bausman's  reply: 

After  prayerful  consideration  I  have  concluded  to  acquiesce  in 
your  request  to  continue  in  my  pastoral  labors  a  while  longer 
and  employ  an  assistant. 

Accordingly,  I  have  employed  the  Rev.  Charles  E.  Creitz,  who 
has  accepted  the  position  and  expects  to  enter  upon  his  labors 
on  October  1,  1900. 

We  find  a  lengthy  diary  comment  on  these  proceedings. 

The  congregation  was  ignorant  of  the  advisory  council's  ac- 
tions. They  were  in  perceptible  suspense  during  the  reading  of 
the  papers,  fearing  that  it  meant  my  resignation.  At  the  close, 
there  was  much  satisfaction  expressed  at  the  new  arrangement. 

I  used  to  look  forward  to  my  resignation  when  I  would  reach 
seventy  years.  When  that  time  came,  I  began  to  confer  with  an 
advisory  council  of  elders.  From  the  beginning,  our  con- 
ferences were  kept  from  the  knowledge  of  the  people  so  as  not  to 
unsettle  the  congregation. 


394  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

About  a  dozen  of  the  younger  and  promising  ministers  of  the 
Church  in  these  five  years  preached  during  my  vacations  or 
helped  me  at  communions.  Neither  they,  nor  the  congregation, 
only  the  council,  knew  my  object  in  employing  their  services. 
The  elders  would  secretly  gather  the  consensus  of  the  people 
respecting  each  one. 

I  thank  God  that  this  matter,  which  has  perplexed  me  so  long, 
has  at  length  been  disposed  of  without  creating  strife. 

It  seems  providential  to  me  that,  in  my  seventy-sixth  year,  I 
should  still  enjoy  ministerial  work,  and  that  my  congregation 
should  entreat  me  to  continue  as  their  pastor. 

It  needs  to  be  added  that  Mrs.  Bausman  was  in  the  council  of 
advisers  touching  the  prospective  assistant.  When  any  of  these 
brethren  preached  during  vacations,  she  would  come  to  Reading 
over  Sundays  from  Preston's  to  attend  the  services  at  which  they 
officiated,  entertain  them,  and  then  return  to  report  to  Dr.  Baus- 
man, who  was  always  very  eager  to  hear. 

The  suggestion  that  IMr.  Creitz  was  the  man  suitable  to  be- 
come the  assistant  was  first  made  by  the  venerable  Dr.  E.  V. 
Gerhart,  whose  suggestion  and  influence  were  largely  instrumen- 
tal in  bringing  Mr.  Bausman  to  Reading  in  1863.  Mr.  Creitz 
preached  in  St.  Paul's  Church  during  the  summer  of  1899,  but  he 
was  not  then  available,  because  he  had  just  become  the  Field 
Secretary  of  the  Home  Mission  Board.  He  preached  again  in 
February,  1900,  at  a  missionary  anniversary — "an  inspiring 
sermon" — several  times  also  at  the  services  of  the  follomng 
Holy  Week,  by  which  time  Dr.  Bausman  was  much  cheered  in 
the  prospect  of  securing  him  as  his  assistant. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Creitz  preached  his  introductory  sermon  on  the 
first  Sunday  evening  of  October,  1900,  and  the  associate  pas- 
torate was  begun.  His  text  was  2  Corinthians  2:16,  "Who  is 
sufficient  for  these  things?"  Dr.  Bausman  commented  as  fol- 
lows: 

The  sermon  was  preached  without  notes — clear,  judicious, 
with  excellent  points  and  very  impressive — church  crowded  and 
the  people  pleased. 

After  years  of  patient  planning  and  waiting,  the  Lord  has 
solved  our  problem  in  St.  Paul's  pastorate.  My  heart  is  full  of 
thankful  joy  and  praise. 


THE   ASSOCIATE    PASTORATE  395 

The  associate  pastorate  was  very  happy  and  fruitful.  Pastor 
and  associate  got  on  together  in  beautiful  harmony.  This  is 
more  than  can  be  said  of  such  arrangements  generally.  Where 
senior  and  junior  pastors  both  preach  and  officiate  for  the  same 
congregation,  exceptional  grace  and  forbearance  are  required  of 
each,  as  well  as  tact  and  thoughtfulness  on  the  part  of  the  con- 
gregation. Of  course.  Dr.  Bausman's  policies  were  continued, 
but  he  always  welcomed  suggestions  and  new  ideas  from  the 
assistant.  Mr.  Creitz  enjoyed  large  freedom  and  ample  oppor- 
tunities for  initiative,  and  the  elder  rejoiced  in  the  younger's 
efficiency  and  success.  Each  vied  in  honor  to  prefer  the  other, 
and  it  was  beautiful  to  see,  at  the  meetings  of  Classis  and,  in  fact, 
on  many  an  occasion,  the  tender  regard  and  consideration,  one 
for  the  other,  as  that  of  father  and  son.  The  morning  congre- 
gation at  St.  Paul's  is,  as  a  rule,  the  larger.  Dr.  Bausman  de- 
sired that  Mr.  Creitz  should  preach  alternatively  with  him  in 
the  morning.  Mr.  Creitz,  however,  from  the  start  insisted  on 
taking  the  smaller  evening  congregation.  Thus  the  senior  pastor 
could  be  relieved  of  his  chief  Sabbath  task  early  in  the  day,  an 
arrangement  which  Mr.  Creitz  was  sure  would  be  more  con- 
genial. Dr.  Bausman  instructed  the  catechumens  and  confirmed 
them  until  the  time  of  his  protracted  illness,  in  1906.  He  urged 
Mr.  Creitz  to  confirm  prior  to  that  time,  but  he  stoutly  refused 
and  thereafter  did  so  only  because  Dr.  Bausman  insisted.  They 
had  a  happy  arrangement  of  dividing  all  perquisites,  but  the  last 
three  years  of  his  life.  Dr.  Bausman  insisted  that  Mr.  Creitz 
must  officiate  at  all  weddings.  These  are  hints  of  the  mutually 
generous  spirit  in  which  pastor  and  associate  worked  together 
throughout.  One  can  be  sure  that  the  congregation  was  help- 
fully impressed  thereby. 

Dr.  Bausman  notes  in  his  diary  again  and  again  with  manifest 
pleasure  the  favorable  impression  produced  by  the  younger 
man.  Dr.  C.  S.  Gerhard,  pastor  of  St.  Stephen's  Church,  was 
particularly  interested  in  the  success  of  the  associate  pastorate 
and  one  day  asked  Dr.  Bausman  how  it  was  working  out.  He 
replied:  *'Mr.  Creitz  has  been  here  over  a  year  and  hasn't  gotten 
his  foot  in  it  yet." 

Mr.  Creitz  strove  to  reheve  Dr.  Bausman  of  the  taxing,  prac- 


395  THE    LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

tical  details  of  congregational  work,  though  they  were  together, 
as  a  rule,  at  all  regular  church  services  and  funerals. 

In  September  and  October  of  1901,  Mr.  Creitz  had  a  severe 
attack  of  typhoid  fever,  and  during  that  time  Dr.  Bausman 
attended  to  all  the  work.  When  Mr.  Creitz  came  to  St.  Paul's 
in  the  autumn  of  1900,  his  relation  to  the  congregation  was  not 
official,  he  was  simply  Dr.  Bausman's  assistant.  In  October, 
1902,  he  was  officially  called  and  installed  assistant  pastor  of  the 
congregation. 

Since  St.  Paul's  congregation  would  not  permit  Dr.  Bausman 
to  resign  the  pastorate,  the  one  thing  to  which  he  set  himself 
was  to  do  with  the  highest  possible  efficiency  the  preaching  and 
pastoral  work,  which  he  chose  to  undertake.  We  have  seen  how, 
for  a  score  of  years  before  the  close  of  the  century,  he  avoided 
tasks  which  might  unduly  tax  his  strength  and  narrowed  him- 
self to  the  several  lines  of  work  he  had  in  hand.  And  so,  with  a 
prudence  which  is  rare  and  was  made  so  effectual,  no  doubt, 
by  the  unfaihng  care  of  Mrs.  Bausman,  he  continued  to  guard 
his  strength  in  the  new  century.  He  continued  to  be  impor- 
tuned to  perform  outside  services.  His  feeling  and  point  of 
view  are  expressed  in  the  following  letter  to  the  son  of  Dr.  Herman 
Rust,  shortly  after  his  old  friend's  death: 

The  Preston,  Wernersville,  Pa.,  August  24,  1905. 
My  dear  Brother  Rust: 

Your  kind  letter  afforded  me  much  that  is  interesting  in  your 
sainted  father's  closing  life.  It  is  very  kind  of  you  to  ask  me  to 
write  a  chapter  for  the  memorial  volume  you  propose  to  prepare. 
Whilst  for  your  sake,  and  for  the  sake  of  the  memory  of  my  de- 
parted friend,  I  would  like  to  comply  with  your  request,  circum- 
stances compel  me  to  decline.  For  some  years  past,  I  have  de- 
clined similar  requests.  I  was  urged  by  different  persons  to  write 
an  introduction  to  the  Life  of  Dr.  Harbaugh;  also  to  write  a 
chapter  for  the  Life  of  Dr.  C.  S.  Gerhard,  and  declined  in  both 
cases.  Lately,  I  wrote  a  short  introduction  to  a  volume — "The 
History  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  Reading,  Pa."  For  special 
reasons  I  consented  to  do  this.  Outside  of  that  I  have  written 
nothing  for  book  publication  for  years  past.  I  am  conscious 
that  in  my  advanced  years,  I  cannot  write  as  I  used  to  do.  I 
still  preach  with  great  comfort,  and,  I  hope,  with  some  degree 
of  good  to  others;  occasionally,  I  write  on  some  subject  of  special 


THE   ASSOCIATE    PASTORATE  397 

and  immediate  interest  to  me  for  the  church    papers.     But    I 
must   ask   my   friends   to   excuse   me   from   writing   for   books. 
Please  do  not  think  hard  of  me.     My  wife  joins  me  in  cordial, 
condoling  greetings  to  yourself  and  your  sister. 
Yours  very  truly, 

B.  Bausman. 

He  would  take  part  in  special  services  in  connection  with  the 
Reading  Churches — installations,  corner-stone  layings,  dedica- 
tions, etc.  He  would  go  outside  of  the  circle  he  had  drawn  for 
himself  only  when  a  claim,  which  specially  touched  his  life  and 
work,  could  be  laid  upon  him. 

In  the  summer  of  1901,  it  was  fifty  years  since  his  graduation 
from  college.  Dr.  Stahr,  President  of  Franklin  and  Marshall 
College,  invited  him  to  be  present  and  speak  at  the  alumni 
dinner.     He  replied: 

Whilst  I  dread  the  wearing  excitement  of  such  an  occasion,  a 
feeling  of  gratitude  if  for  no  other  reason  inchnes  me  to  be  pres- 
ent. I  have  not  only  a  dread  but  a  horror  of  attempting  an  after- 
dinner  speech.  I  will  conditionally  promise  to  be  present;  should 
I  fail  to  come  there  will  be  no  serious  harm  done. 

He  began  the  address  by  alluding  to  Mercersburg  with  its 

picturesque  mountain  scenery  as  an  ideal  place  for  a  college. 

Our  seclusion  helped  to  give  cordiality,  and  a  warmer  esprit 
de  corps  to  our  college  family.  We  were  a  complete  little  world 
in  ourselves. 

We  lived  in  a  breezy,  bracing  atmosphere,  stimulating  to  the 
most  stupid  intellect.  I  dare  say,  we  sometimes  pressed  our 
immature  philosophical  researches  to  grotesque  extremes. 
Every  public  performance  had  to  be  treated  philosophically. 

After  narrating  amusing  incidents  of  college  life  and  paying 
the  highest  tribute  to  his  great  teachers,  he  concluded: 

Mellowed  with  years,  one  has  a  peculiarly  tender  feeling  to- 
ward his  Alma  Mater.  A  feeling  in  the  nature  of  grateful,  filial 
affection.  For  does  not  the  term  indicate  a  composite  person- 
ahty,  in  which  the  best  thinking  and  doing  of  those,  who  lived 
their  lives  into  the  institution,  are  personified?  Here  the  best 
of  what  teachers  and  students  were  and  are  lives  on  in  vital,  or- 
ganized force.  Their  life  passed  into  ours;  let  us  make  ours 
worthy  a  similar  assimilation  by  those  coming  after  us.     Thus 


398  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

those,  drawing  toward  the  close  of  life,  salute  those  that  follow; 
not  as  the  gladiators  in  the  arena  of  the  Coliseum,  at  Rome, 
saluted  Caesar,  but  as  those  who  are  soon  to  leave  the  active 
field  of  life's  battles,  we  salute  our  surviving  leaders  in  the  re- 
public of  letters.  We  bid  a  cordial  Godspeed  to  the  faculties 
and  students  in  their  expanding  realm  of  philosophical  and 
theological  research. 

On  the  evening  of  June  12,  1901,  he  wrote  in  his  diary: 

Went  to  the  commencement  of  Franklin  and  Marshall  College 
this  A.  M.,  to  attend  the  reunion  of  our  class.  We  graduated 
in  September,  1851,  from  Marshall  College,  in  Mercersburg, 
the  next  to  the  last  class  that  graduated  there.  Of  the  six  mem- 
bers in  the  class,  I  and  Dan.  J.  Neff,  Esq.,  of  Altoona,  are  living. 
On  account  of  a  professional  engagement,  he  arrived  at  3  P.  M., 
after  the  alumni  dinner  had  closed.  We  had  not  met  in  fifty 
years,  since  we  parted  on  graduation  day,  in  1851.  Sitting  on  a 
settee  under  the  shade  trees  of  the  campus,  we  chatted  delight- 
fully for  about  two  hours.  Neither  would  have  recognized  the 
other  on  the  street.  Neff  is  a  prominent  lawyer  with  a  large 
practice,  a  manly  fellow. 

I  was  down  for  semi-centennial  toast  at  1  P.  M.  The  Gym- 
nasium building  was  packed.  I  felt  under  a  nervous  strain, 
increased  by  the  close,  uncomfortable  condition  of  the  room,  and 
the  songs  and  yells  of  the  students  at  times.  Toast-master 
W.  U.  Hensel  introduced  me  with  cordial  words.  I  spoke  from 
ten  to  twelve  minutes  with  freedom  and  comfort.  Many  people 
directly,  and  through  others,  spoke  very  kindly  of  my  address. 
Until  Dr.  Jacob  Fry,  of  Mt.  Airy  Seminary,  a  member  of  our  class 
in  its  earher  career,  and  Dr.  Stahr  reminded  me,  it  did  not  occur  to 
me  that  this  would  be  our  semi-centennial.  How  long  and 
mercifully  God  has  spared  and  blessed  us!  For  more  than  a 
week,  the  address  gave  me  many  anxious  thoughts.  Wrote 
eight  pages,  then  with  a  little  paper  containing  the  main  points 
I  undertook  it  and  God  helped  me  as  usual.  Very  hot  day. 
Was  on  the  campus  from  10  A.  M.  to  5  P.  M.  Returned  home 
with  Mr.  Yundt  and  Mr.  Creitz. 

In  January,  1902,  at  the  banquet  of  the  Eastern  Alumni  As- 
sociation of  Franklin  and  Marshall  held  in  Reading,  he  spoke  on 
"The  College  Fifty  Years  Ago."  Those  present  very  well  yet 
recall  what  a  happy  after-dinner  speech  it  was.  The  newspaper 
report  says: 


THE  ASSOCIATE  PASTORATE  399 

He  followed  story  with  story,  and  told  of  occurrences  at  the 
College,  which,  while  they  may  not  have  seemed  particularly 
amusing  at  the  time,  were  very  mirth-provoking  as  told  by  Dr. 
Bausman  fifty  years  after.  He  was  the  first  speaker.  And  in 
appreciation  of  the  worth  of  this  grand,  old  man,  every  banqueter 
rose  to  his  feet.  The  doctor  is  not  used  to  making  speeches  at  a 
banquet  board  when  the  clock's  hands  are  pointing  perilously 
near  to  midnight;  but  he  talked  as  if  he  had  been  used  to  nothing 
else  from  his  youth  up.  He  retired  at  the  close  of  his  speech 
amid  a  volley  of  applause  that  would  have  fairly  scared  a  man 
less  brave. 

This  is  his  own  report  of  the  experience: 

To  avoid  the  long  and  tedious  banquet,  I  went  there  about 
10  P.  M.  Then  had  to  wait  over  an  hour.  Ate  nothing.  The 
long  delay  very  trying.  Withdrew  for  about  half  an  hour  to 
one  of  the  parlors.  Felt  comfortable  in  speaking.  Kept  the 
audience  (nearly  100)  in  good  humor  and  was  liberally  applauded. 
Reached  home  near  midnight.     The  rest  kept  it  up  until  2  A.  M. 

In  May,  1902,  he  was  a  delegate  to  the  General  Synod,  in  Bal- 
timore, and  preached  two  sermons,  which  made  tremendous  im- 
pression. The  sermon  preparatory  to  the  Synod's  Communion 
was  on  Acts  4 :  13 — "The  Attitude  of  the  Christian  to  his  Saviour. " 
Several  days  thereafter  he  wrote  of  it: 

God  blessed  my  sermon  on  Saturday.  Never  was  thanked 
by  so  many  people  for  a  sermon,  dozens  of  men  and  women, 
most  of  them  strangers  to  me.  God  helped  me,  for  which  I  can- 
not thank  him  enough.  Repeatedly  I  prayed  that  I  might  lay 
all  the  praise  at  His  feet. 

Of  the  other  sermon  from  Acts  17:  26-28,  Dr.  Conrad  Clever, 
then  pastor  of  the  Third  Reformed  Church,  says:  "He  preached 
in  my  church  on  'Practising  the  Presence  of  God.'  It  was  to 
me  one  of  the  few  great  sermons  that  I  carry  with  me.  And  so 
it  was  with  the  congregation. " 

In  November,  1902,  he  made  a  two  days'  visit  to  Chambers- 
burg.  The  occasion  was  the  reopening  of  the  remodelled  Zion's 
Reformed  Church,  in  the  pastorate  of  Dr.  Wm.  C.  Schaeffer. 
He  spoke  at  the  services  of  Wednesday  evening,  met  a  multi- 
tude of  old  friends  in  "delightful  greetings,"  and  drove  to  the 


400  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

old  haunts  near  the  town,  which  had  charmed  and  refreshed  him 
forty  years  before. 

In  June,  1903,  he  attended  the  semi-centennial  of  Franklin 
and  Marshall  College  and  spoke  at  the  special  services  of  Sun- 
day on  "The  Place  and  Power  of  the  Good  Man." 

In  July,  1903,  he  preached  the  sermon  at  the  dedication  of  the 
Reformed  Church  at  Lewisburg,  Dr.  R.  L.  Gerhart,  pastor,  and 
thus  was  privileged  to  meet  the  old  friends  and  visit  the  scenes 
made  dear  to  him  by  the  associations  of  his  first  charge. 

In  February,  1904,  he  attended  the  semi-centennial  of  the 
dedication  of  the  First  Reformed  Church,  Lancaster,  Pa.  The 
fact  that  he  had  been  reared  in  this  church  as  a  boy  won  his 
presence  and  he  spoke  on  "Historical  Recollections  from  Hoff- 
meier  to  Harbaugh." 

We  have  seen  how  during  the  last  decade  of  the  old  century 
there  were,  at  St.  Paul's  Church,  numerous  celebrations  in  which 
Dr.  Bausman  was  always  the  central  figure  of  honor.  So  in  the 
new  century,  there  were  frequent  anniversary  occasions,  some- 
times planned  as  a  surprise,  to  express  appreciation  and  show 
him  reverence.  The  most  significant  and  elaborate  of  all  these 
events  was  the  Golden  Jubilee  of  his  ordination,  celebrated  in 
St.  Paul's  Church  from  Wednesday,  February  25th,  to  Sunday, 
March  1,  1903,  with  inspiring  addresses  in  the  presence  of  im- 
mense congregations.     It  was  an  occasion  never  to  be  forgotten. 

On  the  first  evening  of  the  Jubilee,  Dr.  Richards,  of  the  Sem- 
inary, spoke  on  "The  Congregation  and  the  Seminary  during  the 
Last  Fifty  Years,"  and  Dr.  Bausman  characterized  the  address 
as  "very  appropriate,  eloquent,  at  times  thrilling.  The  allu- 
sions to  myself  in  good  taste.  Audience  visibly  impressed." 
And  Dr.  Bausman,  too,  was  impressed.  Ministers  present, 
speaking  of  the  address  with  appreciation  and  as  a  work  of  art, 
were  overheard  by  Dr.  Bausman,  who  said  with  manifest  emo- 
tion, "Yes,  and  more,  a  work  of  the  heart."  Alluding  to  the 
Synod's  choice  of  Mr.  Bausman,  in  1860,  for  the  tutorship  with 
a  view  to  his  being  prepared  for  a  professorship.  Dr.  Richards 
said  that,  had  he  accepted,  there  would  have  been  "one  great 
professor  more,  one  great  pastor  less. " 

On  Friday  evening  Dr.  E.  V.  Gerhart,  President  of  the  Sem- 


THE   ASSOCIATE   PASTORATE  401 

inary  faculty,  delivered  the  address  on  "The  Reformed  Church 
in  1853,"  which  abounded  in  references  to  interesting  historical 
events  in  which  he,  himself,  had  been  a  distinguished  partici- 
pant. 

On  Sunday  morning  Dr.  Bausman  preached  the  Jubilee  ser- 
mon from  Leviticus  25: 11.  In  the  afternoon  there  were  appro- 
priate services  in  the  Sunday-school,  and  in  the  evening  Dr. 
James  I.  Good,  who  was  confirmed  by  Dr.  Bausman,  preached 
on  "The  Reformed  Church  in  Reading  since  1853."  He  re- 
ferred to  Dr.  Bausman's  activities  in  Reading  as  "the  work  of 
one  ecclesiastical  Napoleon,  to  seize  strategic  positions,  hold 
them,  and  then  use  them  to  advance  God's  kingdom." 

The  climax  of  the  great  occasion  came,  however,  when  Dr. 
Bausman  spoke  his  "Jubilee  Address"  on  Thursday  evening  the 
26th,  on  the  identical  date  and  hour  when  fifty  years  before  he 
had  been  ordained  to  the  holy  ministry.  The  president  of  the 
College,  Dr.  Stahr,  who  had  been  with  Dr.  Bausman  as  pastor 
of  the  First  Church  at  the  time  of  the  organization  of  St.  Paul's, 
paid  a  touching  and  impressive  tribute.  The  several  ministerial 
associations  of  the  city  were  present,  and  their  representatives 
spoke  their  feelings  of  appreciation  and  honor.  Superintendent 
Yundt  of  the  Bethany  Orphans'  Home  brought  the  tender  greet- 
ings of  the  orphans. 

After  this  chorus  of  high  praise,  the  venerable  shepherd  of 
souls  himself  rose,  was  greeted  by  the  Chautauqua  salute  and 
responded  most  delightfully.  He  remarked  in  beginning  that 
as  he  sat  listening  to  the  kind  words,  he  said  to  himself,  "Is  this 
all  about  me,  and  is  it  true?  One  is  accustomed  to  hear  words 
like  these  only  at  funerals." 

He  then  recited,  in  vivid  detail,  the  incidents  attending  the 
visit  to  his  first  field  of  labor  fifty  years  before ;  he  spoke  of  his 
work  in  Lewisburg,  Chambersburg,  and  Reading,  all  of  which 
we  have  incorporated  in  the  proper  places  in  his  life  story.  He 
continued : 

I  bless  God  for  bringing  me  to  this  city.  Half  of  my  natural 
life  I  have  spent  here.  Reading  has  been  a  great  blessing  to 
me,  a  stimulating  field  of  usefulness,  a  battle-ground  for  the 

26 


402  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

discipline  and  development  of  the  best  energies  of  my  person- 
ality. 

I  have  found  here  a  fertile  field  of  usefulness.  Reading  has 
been  kind  to  me;  in  my  humble  way,  I  have  tried  to  reciprocate 
its  kindness.  Whether  minister  or  layman,  a  genuine  Christian 
must  antagonize  wrong,  whilst  he  loves  the  wrong-doer. 
Whether  agreeing,  or  disagreeing,  I  have  only  the  kindest  feel- 
ings toward  everybody.  This  evening  I  can  think  of  no  one  in 
this  city,  or  anywhere  else,  whom  I  would  not  like  to  bless  and 
lead  to  my  Saviour. 

When  a  boy  I  used  to  pity  certain  old  people  that  came  to  our 
house.  To  my  mind,  they  seemed  so  weary,  worn,  frail,  soli- 
tary and  joyless.  They  had  outlived  their  active  usefulness. 
Could  any  old  person  be  happy?  So  I  then  questioned.  Since 
then,  the  boy  himself  has  come  to  try  the  experiment.  God 
put  me  into  the  ministry,  assigned  and  mapped  out  for  me  a 
somewhat  active  career.  While  wholly  intent  upon  my  work 
in  hand,  I  took  little  note  of  the  flight  of  passing  years.  As  I 
was  busy  here  and  there,  lo!  I  discovered  that  fifty  years  of  my 
ministry  had  passed.  And  now,  I  believe,  I,  too,  am  classed 
with  the  venerable  people  whom  my  boyish  fancy  commiserated. 
Pray  what  does  the  boy  think  of  the  matter  now?  There  is  a 
sense  in  which  the  children  of  God  never  grow  old.  They  retain 
the  cheerful,  contented,  hopeful  spirit  of  youth,  despite  the  de- 
cay of  bodily  powers.  In  the  evening  of  life,  the  goodness  and 
love  of  God  fringe  the  darkest  clouds  with  a  gilded  lining,  as 
does  the  setting  sun  the  clouds  on  the  evening  horizon.  I  bless 
God,  not  only  for  youth  and  manhood,  but  for  a  contented, 
happy,  serene  old  age. 

Perhaps  I  could  do  better  if  I  had  my  life  to  live  over  again. 
I  am  not  so  sure  of  that,  however.  With  a  penitent,  thankful 
heart,  I  hand  over  these  busy,  earnest  years,  such  as  they  are, 
into  the  hands  of  our  merciful  Father,  into  the  hands  of  my  lov- 
ing Redeemer,  to  whom  I  vowed  fidelity  a  half  century  ago. 

I  thank  these  dear  friends  for  their  words  of  kindly  greeting, 
and  the  people  in  whose  behalf  they  have  spoken.  I  thank  all 
of  you  for  helping  me  to  praise  God  for  His  goodness.  All  that 
they  so  lavishly  ascribe  to  me,  I  cannot  claim.  Love  idealizes 
its  objects.  Thus  David  depicted  the  qualities  of  Jonathan  in 
glowing  colors;  and  Alfred  Tennyson  made  his  friend  Arthur 
Hallam  an  ideal  being.  They  did  it  to  friends  departed.  But 
when  it  is  done  to  one  still  in  the  flesh,  publicly  and  in  his  pres- 
ence, he  sees  how  far  he  has  come  short  of  his  ideals.  The  min- 
ister of  the  gospel  at  best  is  but  an  instrument  in  the  hands  of 
our  divine  Master.     Not  to  the  instrument,  but  to  the  Master 


THE    ASSOCIATE   PASTORATE  403 

belongs  the  glory.     I  would  fain  hide  myself  behind  the  cross, 
SO  that  only  He,  the  only  absolute  Ideal,  can  be  seen. 

The  kind  sentiments  of  good-will  and  praise  on  this  occasion, 
uttered  and  unexpressed,  and  the  devout  thankfulness  of  my 
own  heart,  I  will  weave  into  a  coronet  of  eternal  gratitude  and 
glory,  and  lay  it  at  the  feet  of  our  adorable  Saviour. 

"  Let  every  kindred,  every  tribe, 
On  this  terrestrial  ball 
To  Him  all  majesty  ascribe, 
And  crown  Him  Lord  of  aU." 

The  impressiveness  of  the  closing  prayer  by  Dr.  Bausman, 
some  of  us  who  were  present  shall  never  forget,  especially  the 
petition  uttered  with  indescribable  pathos — "0  Lord,  forsake 
not  thy  servant  when  he  is  old." 

Dr.  Bausman's  feelings  on  this  Jubilee  evening  are  further 
expressed  as  he  scrutinized  the  experience,  ere  he  retired  for  the 
night : 

Felt  strangely  awkward  and  humbled  under  their  praise,  in 
the  presence  of  so  many  people.  Inwardly  prayed  for  a  meek 
and  humble  spirit.  Felt  more  calm  and  composed  than  I  ex- 
pected, especially  during  my  address.  Crowds  pressed  around 
me  at  the  close,  extended  hands  and  congratulations.  Glory, 
glory  to  God. 

We  take  from  the  Reformed  Church  Messenger,  a  few  weeks 
later,  the  following  extract  from  the  home  missionary  letter 
penned  by  the  Superintendent,  the  Rev.  A.  C.  Whitmer: 

Near  the  close  of  this  Jubilee,  Dr.  Bausman  sent  his  check 
for  $500  to  establish  a  memorial  church  building  fund  as  a 
thank-offering  to  God.  When  he  did  this  he  knew  nothing 
of  what  was  going  on  in  the  Sunday-school  in  reference  to 
a  similar  thank-offering  there.  It  was  thought  quite  right 
that  the  school  should  have  the  privilege  of  honoring  God  and 
the  pastor  in  a  similar  way,  and  on  the  Sunday  of  this  joyful 
festival  the  school  laid  on  the  altar  of  God  $500  in  twenty  dollar 
gold  pieces,  to  the  surprise  and  joy  of  their  aged  pastor.  The 
secret  had  been  well  kept. 

In  a  letter  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Whitmer,  Dr.  Bausman  said: 

These  two  funds,  with  the  same  object  in  view,  may  fittingly 
be  placed  in  a  holy  alliance,  side  by  side,  in  this  double  form,  to 


404  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

proclaim  the  gospel  of  salvation  through  coming  years.  Thus 
we  can  give  a  voice  to  our  thanksgiving  anthem  that  will  sing 
the  Lord's  song  after  our  voices  are  hushed  in  death. 

Scores  of  letters,  expressing  affection  and  congratulation, 
were  showered  upon  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Bausman  on  this  occasion. 
Extracts  from  a  few  of  them  are  here  given. 

Dr.  N,  C.  Schaeffer,  State  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruc- 
tion, formerly  principal  of  the  Normal  School  at  Kutztown: 

Your  ministry  has  been  fruitful  in  a  marvelous  degree.  Al- 
though my  activity  has  covered  sixteen  of  these  United  States, 
yet  I  can  not  point  to  any  tangible  or  visible  results  anywhere 
except  at  Kutztown.  Your  career  deserves  admiration  because 
you  have  concentrated  your  labors  upon  a  section  of  the  Church, 
where  your  influence  will  be  felt  for  generations  to  come. 

Dr.  John  C.  Bowman,  of  the  Theological  Seminary,  at  Lan- 
caster : 

As  one  of  the  great  multitude  of  your  friends,  I  join  in  extend- 
ing to  you  my  very  cordial  greetings  on  the  occasion  of  your 
pastoral  Golden  Jubilee.  I  do  this  out  of  the  fulness  of  my  heart's 
affectionate  regard  for  you  personally,  and  with  high  apprecia- 
tion of  your  incalculable  services  to  the  Church,  her  institutions, 
and  the  various  departments  of  Christian  work. 

Dr.  Richard  C.  Schiedt,  of  Franklin  and  Marshall  College: 

I  have  always  looked  upon  you  as  my  ideal  of  a  Christian 
minister,  and  therefore  rejoice  with  the  whole  Church  in  the 
universal  homage  which  has  been  so  signally  paid  to  you  on 
this  festive  occasion.  I  hope  and  pray  that  your  example  may 
be  the  shining  light  which  will  ever  point  the  way  for  many  a 
talented  young  man  toward  the  holy  ministry,  as  the  highest 
and  noblest  vocation  in  life;  and  may  the  good  Lord  bless  you 
and  your  faithful  companion  with  abundant  health  and  strength, 
so  that  you  both  can  be  with  us  and  cheer  us  by  your  counsel 
for  many  years  yet  to  come. 

Dr.  J.  Spangler  Kieffer,  of  Hagerstown,  Maryland: 

To  thousands  of  others,  as  to  myself,  your  life  and  example 
and  teaching  have  been  a  blessing.  I  take  this  occasion  to  ex- 
press my  gratitude  to  you,  and  to  hope  that  the  evening  of  your 
precious   Ufe   may   be   bright   and   peaceful   and   happy.     Max 


THE   ASSOCIATE    PASTORATE  405 

Miiller  quotes  a  Hindu  rule  which  says:  "Man  is  meant  to  leam 
in  his  youth,  to  act  in  his  manhood,  to  counsel  in  his  advancing 
years,  and  to  meditate  in  his  extreme  old  age."  You  have  not 
reached  the  latter  stage  yet;  you  are  rather  in  the  beautiful 
stage  of  giving  counsel.  Nay,  you  are  in  the  age  of  action  yet. 
Nay,  I  am  sure  you  are  still  in  the  first  stage;  I  am  sure  you  are 
learning  every  day. 

Dr.  E.  N.  Kremer,  of  Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania: 

I  congratulate  you  on  the  completion  of  your  fiftieth  year  in 
the  ministry,  covering,  as  the  period  does,  such  an  eventful 
time  in  the  history  of  our  Church  in  this  land.  By  your  labors 
and  writings,  as  well  as  the  force  of  your  personality,  you  have 
done  much  to  bring  out  of  obscurity  into  prominence,  the  Church 
we  love,  and  have  thus  made  a  claim,  which  we  are  pleased  to 
recognize  and  acknowledge,  upon  the  gratitude  of  your  brethren 
in  the  ministry,  and  fellow  members  in  the  Church. 

Dr.  William  A.  Hale,  of  Dayton,  Ohio: 

I  have  read  in  The  Record  your  glorious  sermon  on  your  an- 
niversary. A  glorious  life,  gloriously  spent.  The  westering 
sun  sinks  into  a  sea  of  gold.  My  heart  throbs  in  gratitude  for 
God's  gift  of  such  men.       I  love  you. 

Rev.  Stanley  L.  Krebs,  then  of  Greensburg,  Pennsylvania: 

My  dear  Father  Bausman: 

Needless  to  annoy  you  with  a  long  letter,  for  the  train  of  let- 
ters moving  you-wards  these  days  will  be  a  long  one — a  train 
freighted  with  the  best  wishes,  fraternal  greetings,  heartfelt  con- 
gratulations, and  sincere  love  of  your  ministerial  brethren.  I 
want  my  little  missive,  bearing  my  quota  of  the  above  freight, 
to  be  among  the  rest.  So  here  you  are,  with  all  my  heart.  Mrs. 
Krebs  joins  me  in  love  to  Mrs.  Bausman  also,  who  rejoices  with 
you  and  we  with  both. 

.    Dr.  J.  P.  Moore,  of  Tokyo,  Japan: 

I  also  congratulate  Mrs.  Bausman,  as  the  wife  of  the  one  who 
has  just  celebrated  such  an  anniversary.  It  is  an  honor  she 
may  well  be  proud  of  and  all  the  more  so,  since  her  husband  is 
still  such  a  boy,  so  vigorous  in  body  and  mind,  so  young  in  his 
feelings.  I  am  very  sure  that  I  am  but  expressing  your  senti- 
ments when  I  say  that  to  her  may  be  attributed  much  of  the 
great  success  of  your  ministry,  because  of  the  true  helpmeet  we 
all  loiow  her  to  have  been. 


406  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

I  am  going  to  take  new  lessons  in  the  art  of  how  to  keep  young 
and  strong  and  useful  to  a  good  old  age.  Pray  for  me  that  I 
may  be  successful  in  this. 

Dr.  J.  S.  Bromley,  then  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church, 
Reading : 

As  one  of  your  admirers,  I  wish  to  present  my  sincere  con- 
gratulations to  you  on  the  completion  of  half  a  century  in  the 
ministry,  and  on  your  remarkable  pastorate  in  Reading.  In 
the  First  Baptist  Church,  as  in  every  other  church  in  the  city,  I 
believe,  you  are  held  in  the  highest  esteem,  for  your  worth  and 
your  work's  sake.  Personally,  I  have  often  been  encouraged 
and  helped  in  my  ministry  by  your  Christian  courtesy  in  speech 
and  conduct. 

In  considering  your  long  and  successful  pastorate  in  this  city, 
I  cannot  think  of  anything  that  is  more  appropriate  than  Phil- 
lips Brooks'  words  in  regard  to  the  great  pastorship  of  Dr.  Vin- 
ton: "A  great  pastorship  is  the  noblest  picture  of  human  in- 
fluence, and  of  the  relationship  of  man  to  man  which  the  world 
has  to  show.  It  is  the  canonization  of  friendship.  It  is  friend- 
ship lifted  above  the  regions  of  mere  instinct  and  sentiment 
and  fondness,  above  all  thought  of  policy  or  convenience  and 
exalted  into  the  mutual  helpfulness  of  the  children  of  God.  The 
pastor  is  father  and  brother  to  those  whose  deepest  lives  he  helps 
in  the  deepest  ways.  His  belonging  to  his  people  is  like  the 
broad  sky  over  the  lives  of  men  and  women  and  httle  children, 
of  good  and  bad,  of  weak  and  strong,  on  all  of  whom  alike  it 
sheds  its  dew.  Who,  that  has  ever  known  such  a  pastorate, 
can  beheve  that  death  which  sets  free  all  the  best  and  purest 
things  into  larger  spiritual  being,  ends  the  relation  of  soul  to 
soul  which  a  true  pastorship  involves?" 

Pardon  me  for  thus  having  intruded  upon  you.  I  felt  that  I 
must  in  some  way  express  my  appreciation  of  your  character 
and  work. 

Hon.  Gustav  A.  Endlich,  Judge  of  the  Berks  County  Court: 

As  one  of  many  who  realize  the  advantage  our  community 
has  enjoyed,  for  so  long  a  series  of  years,  in  your  presence  and 
example,  I  cannot  forbear  to  offer  you  my  cordial  congratula- 
tions upon  the  anniversary  you  celebrate  this  week.  To  you, 
doubtless,  it  is  the  occasion  of  peculiar  contentment;  to  your 
congregation  and  indeed  to  all  capable  of  appreciating  the  value 
of  a  pure  and  virtuous  and  devoted  life,  one  of  profound  interest 
and  satisfaction. 


THE   ASSOCIATE    PASTORATE  407 

In  the  following  year  Dr.  J.  Spangler  Kieffer  wrote  to  Dr. 
Bausman  in  response  to  an  appreciative  letter  concerning  Dr. 
Kieffer's  article  in  the  Messenger  on  "The  Deserted  House:" 

You  find  old  age  not  barren  and  cheerless,  but  fruitful,  serene, 
happy.  I  confess  I  have  been  somewhat  afraid  of  what  old  age, 
now  fast  coming  on,  might  possibly  bring  to  me.  I  have  dreaded 
to  fall  a  victim  to  evil  dispositions.  I  have  a  strong  desire  to 
preserve  my  cheerfulness,  hope,  trust,  enthusiasm,  belief  in  good- 
ness. Your  experience  encourages  me  to  believe  that  I  need 
not  part  with  these  as  age  comes  on.  I  want  to  be  like  you  and 
in  old  age  to  take  more  pleasure,  rather  than  less,  in  all  innocent, 
good  and  beautiful  things  pertaining  to  human  life  and  in  com- 
munion with  God. 

The  following  beautiful  tribute  is  from  The  Reading  Herald  of 
January  30,  1904: 

Four  Score. 

"Eternal  sunshine  settles  on  his  head,"  sang  the  poet — a  poet 
who  never  knew  Reading's  Dr.  Bausman.  But  were  the  poet  to 
come  along  this  week,  and  find  this  venerable  hero  of  the  cloth 
celebrating,  with  a  serene  and  gracious  dignity,  his  eightieth 
birthday,  the  poet  would  be  prone  to  repeat  himself  and  to  ap- 
ply his  glowing  words  to  a  new  subject. 

For  this  Reading  pastor  is,  like  the  poet's,  "a  man  to  all  the 
country  dear,"  and  each  year  that  he  is  spared  to  labor  in  and 
be  beloved  of  Reading,  the  townspeople  will  all  the  more  de- 
light to  honor  him. 

They  revered  him  at  sixty.  They  loved  him  at  seventy. 
Now  that  he  has  safely  turned  the  eightieth  leaf  in  his  story  of 
a  beautiful  life,  they  glory  in  him.  And  they  hope,  with  all 
fervency,  that  ten  years  hence  he  may  be  with  them  still,  as 
strong  and  erect,  as  true  and  sturdy,  as  helpful  and  as  kind  as  he 
is  this  very  day. 

Not  the  people  of  a  single  congregation  only;  not  merely  the 
members  of  one  religious  body ;  for  Dr.  Bausman  belongs  to  many 
outside  of  St.  Paul's.  His  creed  is  far  too  catholic  to  be  circum- 
scribed by  the  limits  of  the  Reformed  faith.  His  friendships 
reach  far  beyond  the  narrow  limits  of  a  mere  parish. 

It  is  not  often  that  we  have  the  privilege  of  praising  a  con- 
spicuous citizen  upon  his  eightieth  birthday.  And  far,  far  rarer 
is  it  that  our  tribute  can  be  paid  to  one  whose  eightieth  birthday 
looks  out  upon  such  a  far,  dim  perspective — reaching  back  to 
his  earliest  youth — of  noble  deeds,  of  gentle  words,  and  of  kindly 
thoughts. 


408  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

In  May,  1905,  a  few  weeks  after  Easter,  Dr.  Bausman  wrote 
to  his  colleague  from  Galen  Hall,  Atlantic  City,  in  part  as  fol- 
lows: 

Monday,  7  A.  M. 

You  are  still  in  bed.  A  charming  sunny  morning.  I  am 
writing  literally  in  a  glass  house,  on  the  seventh  story  of  our 
hotel. 

My  old  bodily  abode  has  served  me  well  for  many  years.  A 
kind  Providence  has  given  me  a  good  tenement  to  live  and  labor 
in;  but  it  is  at  last  showing  signs  of  dilapidation.  I  keep  a  close 
watch  on  it,  if  possible  to  keep  it  in  repair.  That  brought  me 
here.  I  cannot  thank  God  sufficiently  for  such  an  enduring 
abode  for  my  poor,  personal  self.  But  I  cannot  be  unmindful 
that  I  am  but  a  tenant,  at  His  will,  until  He  shall  give  me  a 
"quit  notice."  Then  I  shall  move  out,  and  please  God,  migrate 
into  an  abode  where  the  body  never  grows  infirm  or  old.  For- 
give me  this  loquacious  soUloquy,  for  that  is  about  what  it  is. 
Meanwhile,  I  bless  God  that  I  can  still  have  a  little  part  in  the 
affairs  of  His  kingdom. 

We  expect  to  return  by  the  middle  of  next  week.  Mrs.  Baus- 
man joins  me  in  loving  greetings  to  Mrs.  Creitz,  her  chubby 
boy,  and  the  pater  familias. 

The  following  winter,  when  Dr.  Bausman  passed  into 
his  eighty-third  year,  he  was  in  the  throes  of  most  serious  ill- 
ness, from  which  even  his  physicians  despaired  of  his  recover- 
ing.    His  diary  entries  tell  how  it  came  upon  him. 

December  20,  1905. 

Yesterday,  about  6  A.  M.,  before  rising  I  was  taken  with  an 
attack  of  illness.  Unconscious,  I  raised  myself  in  bed  with 
violent  groans,  then  sank  back.  Dr.  Bertolet  soon  arrived,  when 
consciousness  returned.  The  doctor  was  here  five  times  to-day. 
In  bed  all  day.  Weak  from  the  violent  strain.  Many  people 
called  to  inquire.  Still  not  as  strong  as  usual;  but  slowly  im- 
proving. 

December  23. 

I  have  been  slowly  gaining  the  last  few  days.  Took  several 
walks  yesterday  and  to-day.  Still  feel  somewhat  weak.  Many 
eager  inquiries. 

Sunday,  December  24. 

Attended  church  this  A.  M.  I  took  no  part.  Many  greet- 
ings of  joy  at  my  reappearance.  Not  strong  as  yet,  but  deeply 
thankful. 


THE   ASSOCIATE   PASTORATE  409 

Christmas  Day. 
Early  service  at  6  A.  M.     Church  very  full.     Gave  the  pastoral 
greeting.     Delightful  weather. 

The  diary  remains  blank  imtil  March  17,  1906,  where  we  read: 
"Walked  out  for  the  first  time  to-day  since  I  was  taken  sick." 
On  March  25th,  we  find  the  next  entry: 

On  December  27,  1905,  I  was  taken  sick  with  a  nervous  chill 
which  developed  into  catarrhal  pneumonia,  causing  a  serious 
illness  of  three  months'  duration.  To-day  I  attended  worship 
for  the  first  time  since  I  was  taken  sick. 

The  following  note  appeared  in  the  church  paper: 


i^ A^iiYnh>^ 6U^~^ ^ro<^  JU/ty ^^ 


It  was  a  long  time,  however,  until  Dr.  Bausman  could  again 
take  up  his  regular  work  of  the  morning  sermon.     On  Palm 


410  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN    BAUSMAN 

Sunday,  April  8th,  he  ''sat  on  the  pulpit  for  the  first  time" 
after  his  illness.  Gradually  he  took  more  and  more  part  in  the 
services,  but  did  not  preach  again  until  the  following  autumn. 

Dr.  W.  S.  Bertolet  was  the  attending  physician  during  this 
illness,  though  Dr.  D.  B.  D.  Beaver  was  in  daily  consultation 
for  a  whole  month,  during  the  more  serious  stages.  Dr.  Baus- 
man  was  a  good  patient  in  spite  of  his  years  and  fought  bravely 
for  recovery,  beset  as  he  was  at  times  by  mental  depression. 
When  he  began  to  convalesce,  he  took  electrical  treatments, 
and  religiously  followed  the  physician's  directions  in  taking  ex- 
ercise and  getting  fresh  air.  The  unremitting  solicitude  of  Mrs. 
Bausman  was  supplemented  by  the  services  of  a  faithful  nurse, 
Miss  Clara  Schoenberger,  whose  irrepressible  cheerfulness  and 
contagious  buoyancy  were  for  him,  as  his  physician  says,  "the 
best  of  medicine."  As  strength  returned  his  physician  advised 
him  to  occupy  himself  in  light  mental  activities.  In  June,  he 
was  assisting  Superintendent  W.  F.  More  in  revising  the  "His- 
tory of  Bethany  Orphans'  Home"  and  he  wrote  several  articles 
for  the  Reading  Herald  on  his  Civil  War  reminiscences.  On 
June  14th,  he  attended  the  opening  of  the  new  wing  of  the  Home 
for  Friendless  Children  and  spoke  a  few  minutes.  The  summer 
of  1906  was  spent  at  the  Preston  as  usual  and  several  times  he 
conducted  religious  services  there  for  the  guests.  By  the  autumn, 
he  had  recovered  his  health  and  strength  again  in  a  way  that 
was  simply  wonderful,  considering  how  near  to  death's  door  he 
had  been.  On  the  first  Sunday  morning  of  October,  the  sanc- 
tuary of  St.  Paul's  Church,  which  had  been  renovated  at  a  cost 
of  about  $12,000,  was  reopened,  and  Dr.  Bausman  made  a  short 
address. 

Two  weeks  later,  he  spoke  briefly  again  at  the  communion 
service  and  on  the  last  Sunday  of  October,  when  Mr.  Creitz  was 
attending  the  Synod,  he  preached  his  first  sermon  after  his  ill- 
ness and  "spoke  with  comfort."  He  preached  again  the  last 
Sunday  in  November,  the  first  Sunday  of  January,  twice  in  Feb- 
ruary, and  from  March  on,  in  1907,  took  the  Sunday  morning 
sermon  quite  regularly. 

At  the  next  annual  meeting  of  Reading  Classis,  Dr.  Bausman 
said  in  his  parochial  report: 


THE   ASSOCIATE    PASTORATE  411 

It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  bear  testimony  to  the  uniform 
kindness  of  my  colleague,  Rev.  C.  E.  Creitz.  His  sympathetic 
ministries  during  my  illness  were  a  great  comfort  to  me;  and  the 
untiring  zeal  with  which  he  bore  the  entire  burden  of  our  joint 
pastorate  was  a  credit  to  his  head  and  his  heart. 

The  few  years  of  life  that  yet  remained  to  Dr.  Bausman  were 
a  period  of  extraordinary  vigor  and  mental  freshness  for  a  man  of 
his  years.  He  maintained  to  the  end  his  erect  poise  and  firm, 
brisk  step.  Apparently  "his  eye  was  not  dim  nor  his  natural 
force  abated." 

Yet  the  great  illness  through  which  he  passed  left  its  hidden 
marks  upon  him.  It  could  not  be  otherwise  at  his  age.  His 
memory  was  less  sure,  though  he  was  careful  that  the  public 
should  not  notice  it.  Indeed,  it  was  always  a  point  of  honor 
with  him  not  to  parade  his  weakness;  and  he  was  so  prudent, 
cautious,  and  well  poised  in  conserving  his  strength,  that  he  was 
enabled  to  work  on  brilliantly  and  impressively  to  the  very  end. 

On  March  30,  1906,  when  he  had  become  strong  enough  again 
to  see  visitors,  he  called  a  few  of  his  elders  to  his  home  "to  con- 
sult about  his  pastoral  relation  to  St.  Paul's."  However,  he 
said:  "They  insisted  that  it  would  be  seriously  detrimental  to 
disturb  the  matter  and  at  their  urgent  request  I  consented  to 
drop  the  affair." 

In  the  latter  part  of  June,  he  again  tried  to  be  relieved  and  pre- 
sented his  resignation  to  the  Consistory,  stating  his  case  as  he 
saw  it: 

By  reason  of  the  infirmities  of  advanced  years  I  do  not  ex- 
pect to  render  much  service  hereafter.  I  feel  constrained  to  pro- 
pose the  following: 

1.  I  ask  permission  to  assume  the  relation  of  pastor  emeritus 
of  St.  Paul's  Reformed  Church. 

2.  As  Mr.  Creitz  performs  all  the  work,  I  am  no  longer  entitled 
to  further  remuneration,  nor  do  I  ask  for  any.  Hitherto  your 
kindness  has  not  approved  of  such  a  proposal;  but  I  feel  that 
under  present  conditions,  the  foregoing  course  of  action  would 
be  the  wisest  for  all  concerned  and  the  most  acceptable  to  myself. 

The  resignation  was  to  take  effect  on  July  first,  but  the  Con- 
sistory stoutly  refused  to  consider  it.  This  course  was  certainly 
the  wisest  for  him.     It  buoyed  him  up,  gave  him  confidence, 


412  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

kept  him  in  touch  with  life,  so  that  with  the  wholesome  stimulus 
of  congenial  tasks,  he  was  enabled  to  remain  fresh  and  young, 
responsive  and  fruitful  to  the  last  week  of  his  life. 

In  addition  to  the  constantly  scrupulous  care  of  his  health, 
throughout  the  associate  pastorate,  extended  summer  vacations 
were  taken,  all  of  which  were  spent  at  Preston's  Sunnyside, 
near  Wernersville.  This  serene  and  comforting  retreat  he  and 
Mrs.  Bausman  discovered  in  the  summer  of  1899.  They  found 
it  "just  the  thing"  for  them  and  they  never  ceased  to  speak  its 
praises.  Before  his  great  sickness  these  vacations  ranged  from 
five  to  seven  weeks,  thereafter  they  were  extended  to  nearly 
three  months. 

While  thus  resting  and  recuperating  on  the  summer  vacations, 
he  received  regularly  every  week  from  Mr.  Creitz  a  letter 
which  was  as  regularly  and  promptly  answered.  These  letters 
which  Dr.  Bausman  wrote  his  assistant  during  the  last  two  sum- 
mers of  his  life  are  happily  preserved.  They  give  us  a  beautiful 
insight  into  his  life  and  thought  in  this,  the  final  stage  of  his  long 
career.     We  give  a  few  excerpts. 

July  9,  1907. 

You  are  a  good  boy  to  write  such  a  newsy  letter.  "A  good 
time"  on  a  hot  July  Sunday     That  is  saying  a  good  deal. 

It  is  a  sort  of  an  aimless  life  we  are  leading  here,  breathing  the 
smokeless  atmosphere;  our  noiseless  environments  are  a  great 
relief.  Much  of  the  women's  talk  is  commonplace,  but  even 
that,  like  dull  sermons,  has  its  good  side,  to  cultivate  patient 
courtesy.  You  say  nothing  of  Mrs.  Creitz  and  her  brilliant 
progeny.  I  take  it  for  granted  that  both  of  them  are  bent  to 
measure  up  to  their  splendid  possibilities. 

I  wish  to  bear  my  share  of  the  expenses  for  the  miss"onary 
dinner  and  for  all  the  other  expenses  of  our  Ministerium. 

You  say,  in  your  letter,  that  you  had  enclosed  the  report  of 
the  Sunday-school,  which  was  the  first  fib  you  ever  told  me. 

July  16,  1907. 
The  Montello  Brick  Company  fizzle  has  given  me  some  anx- 
iety lest  St.  Paul's  people  might  in  some  way  figure  in  the  scan- 
dal. We  all  knew  the  nature  of  the  bubble,  but  little  expected 
that  it  would  be  punctured  so  soon.  Good  J.  B.  Fricker  seems 
to  be  a  hero  in  the  drama.  His  speech  in  yesterday's  Eagle  is 
good  reading,  a  credit  to  his  head  and  heart. 


THE   ASSOCIATE    PASTORATE  413 

You  do  well  in  your  proposed  "hegira"  to  the  country  with 
your  family.  Leave  work  and  worry  in  Reading;  burrow  in 
field  and  forest;  ruminate  and  vegetate  and  come  back  thoroughly 
rejuvenated. 

The  Preston  is  well  filled  and  well  kept.  Its  guests  are  mostly 
intelligent  Christian  people,  mostly  women,  a  large  sprinkling 
of  widows  and  single  women,  beyond  the  Rubicon  of  wedlock. 

Gen.  Rustling  and  wife,  from  Trenton,  N.  J.,  are  still  our  most 
interesting  companions.  He  is  a  thoroughbred  Methodist,  with 
broad  sympathies  for  other  creeds.  He  is  an  eminent  lawyer, 
for  more  than  forty  years  a  sufferer  from  malarial  troubles  con- 
tracted in  his  army  service.  His  military  and  literary  informa- 
tion make  him  a  pleasing  conversationalist  and  a  good  listener 
too. 

I  find  our  parlor  services  on  Sundays  comforting  to  myself. 
People  of  all  creeds,  from  Hicksite  Quakers  to  High  Church 
Episcopalians,  join  in  singing  revival  gospel  hymns,  and  receive 
the  informal  talk  on  some  Bible  theme  with  tender  and  even 
grateful  attention.  Gen.  Rustling,  at  my  request,  leads  the 
song  service  on  Sunday  evening. 

I  am  writing  about  a  lot  of  uninteresting  nothings  in  the 
absence  of  anything  better. 

July  23,  1907. 

I  am  glad  to  learn  that  you  have  had  such  a  good  time  in  Read- 
ing: ideal  Sundays,  in  point  of  weather,  attendance  at  church 
and  Sunday-school,  extra  church  music,  and  an  unprecedented 
picnic.  I  am  glad  that  our  St.  Paul's  people  had  such  a  happy 
time,  despite  the  midsummer  heat. 

On  last  Sunday  A.  M.,  I  held  services  in  the  parlor  and  spoke 
twenty  minutes  on  "The  Fatherhood  of  God,"  Psalms  103:13, 
14.  A  rich,  tender  theme,  which  old  and  young  could  easily 
grasp.  A  simple  service,  free  from  the  labored  dignity  of  a  full 
church  ceremony,  gives  one  an  opportunity  to  give  direct  heart 
talks  which  are  helpful  to  the  hearers.  I  suppose  such  ministra- 
tions would  not  edify  the  people  in  a  home  service,  and  yet  when 
people  often  tell  me,  not  that  the  sermon  was  able,  or  the  prayers 
elegant  in  diction,  but  that  they  had  been  blessed  and  helped, 
thatt  heir  burdens  had  been  lightened — all  this  has  set  me  to 
thinking,  whether  it  is  wise  to  make  our  church  ministrations 
formal  rather  than  fervid,  according  to  the  most  approved  lit- 
erary and  homiletical  taste,  to  the  neglect  of  the  simplicity  of 
the  Sermon  on  the  Mount.  Alas,  I  have  unwittingly  fallen 
into  a  preaching  mood,  instead  of  chatting  about  more  familiar 
things.  At  the  close  of  my  sermon  on  last  Sunday  a  week.  Gen. 
Rustling  arose  and  moved  a  vote  of  thanks  to  me,  which  was 


414  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

passed  with  a  will.  Have  you  ever  received  such  a  tribute 
right  in  connection  with  a  service?  Is  not  that  news  from  this 
mountain  seclusion?  I  know  what  you  are  thinking  just  now: 
This  man  must  be  in  his  dotage!     Veritas  veritatis! 

Mrs.  Bausman  joins  me  in  loving  greetings  to  thee  and  thine. 

August  6,  1907. 
Yesterday  afternoon  Dr.  Schneder  and  wife  spent  three  hours 
with  us,  on  invitation.  As  he  is  very  busy  getting  ready  to  leave 
next  Thursday  on  his  long  journey  homeward,  he  could  spare 
only  a  few  hours  for  us.  He  seems  to  me  one  of  the  saintliest 
men  I  have  ever  met,  the  St.  John  of  the  Reformed  Church. 
Mrs.  Schneder  looks  care-worn  and  somewhat  sad.  Is  it  a  won- 
der? Her  husband  about  leaving  and  she  to  leave  in  January, 
to  be  separated  from  her  children  for  years.  It  seems  to  me  the 
personality  of  dear  Dr.  Schneder  would  be  a  great  power  for  good 
in  Japan,  apart  from  his  great  work  as  an  educator.  May  the 
dear  Lord  guide  and  richly  bless  these  people  in  their  work. 

August  12,  1907. 

Yours  of  the  ninth  instant  came  to  hand  in  due  time.  We  are 
still  roaming  at  large  in  this  secluded  place.  Browsing  in  old 
and  newer  pastures.  In  a  certain  sense,  vegetating  without 
growing  verdant.  Trying  to  feel  interested  in  streams  of  shallow 
repetitious  nothings.  Whiling  away  in  idle  talk  our  rustic 
leisure.  A  family  of  some  seventy  to  eighty  intelligent  people 
all  bent  on  unbending  and  discarding  the  chilly  formalities  of 
their  home  life.  Glad  to  be  spoken  to  and  free  to  keep  quiet. 
Pleasant  people  to  preach  to,  who  listen  with  devout  attention, 
as  though  they  were  on  their  good  behavior  in  their  showy  home 
churches. 

Auto-mobs  are  beginning  to  storm  this  mountain  castle.  Glad 
you  and  Mrs.  Creitz  are  enjoying  your  visiting.  Hope  you  will 
be  "fair,  fat,"  if  not  "forty"  by  our  return.  See  what  a  long, 
disjointed  letter  I  have  written  to  you. 

September  2,  1907. 
I  am  not  in  a  hurry  to  leave,  chiefly  because  at  home  I  have 
little  room  to  spend  in  the  open  air,  save  in  our  lot  or  in  walking 
the  streets.  We  shall  not  be  home  in  time  for  our  harvest  serv- 
ices, but  hope  to  be  in  time  for  the  ''grand  Rally,"  as  the  papers 
sometimes  call  them,  when  in  fact,  they  are  neither  "grand," 
and  in  reality  not  even  a  "Rally."  It  seems  to  me  some  print- 
er's ink  and  personal  effort  in  visiting  the  derelicts  would  not  be 
amiss. 


THE  ASSOCIATE  PASTORATE  415 

September  10,  1907. 

Rev. ,  near  Philadelphia,  made  a  similar  blunder  in  his 

recent  valedictory.     How  foolish  to  end  one's  pastoral  farewell 
with  a  growl. 

September  16,  1907. 

I  think  we  might  safely  send  a  second  set  of  envelopes  to  the 
absentees,  as  a  hint  for  their  offerings  for  yesterday.  Do  this 
for  their  own  sake  as  well  as  for  the  sake  of  the  cause.  It  is  the 
only  offering  of  the  year  for  Home  Missions.  If  anybody  takes 
offense,  send  them  to  me. 

That  is  right,  work  up  Rally  Day.  "Rally  round  the  flag, 
boys,"  as  we  used  to  sing  in  war  times.  I  will  gladly  give  it  all 
the  help  I  can. 

I  wish  we  could  put  more  of  our  people  to  work.  They  need 
the  discipline  apart  from  the  possible  benefit  it  might  bring  to 
others. 

My  rambling  letter  reminds  me  of  the  gleanings  after  the 
harvest  has  been  housed:  much  straw,  and  little  wheat;  at  your 
end  of  the  line  you  have  more  wheat,  and  less  litter. 

After  all  our  people  shall  have  returned,  it  might  perhaps  not 
be  amiss  to  announce  from  the  pulpit  that  we  owe  it  to  them 
and  the  cause,  to  give  them  an  opportunity  to  hand  in  their 
offerings  for  harvest  services.  I  see  that  I  am  repeating  my- 
self, which  shows  that  I  must  stop.  We  shall  return  to-morrow 
a  week,  a  day  sooner  than  we  intended. 

July  7,  1908. 

The  people  who  come  here  are  of  all  shades  of  belief;  but  all 
are  thankful  for  what  the  preacher  deems  to  be  the  truth,  and 
tell  him  so.  I  told  them  that  their  singing  was  slow  and  drag- 
ging, when  I  announced  the  last  hymn,  "My  country  'tis  of  Thee, " 
whereupon  they  sprang  to  their  feet  and  sang  the  whole  hymn 
with  a  will,  standing. 

As  I  have  nothing  else  to  do,  I  may  as  well  spin  out  my  yarn 
as  long  as  possible,  even  if  it  spins  thin. 

They  are  making  a  great  racket  at  our  house  on  North  Sixth 
Street.     On  that  account  I  am  glad  to  be  up  here. 

The  proposed  mission  among  the  Poles  will,  at  best,  be  diffi- 
cult and  of  small  results.  Very  few  of  them  become  permanent 
residents  of  any  one  place.  They  drift  from  one  locality  to 
another,  wherever  they  can  find  work.  Only  in  very  large  cities 
do  they  establish  congregations.  The  churches  of  Reading  owe 
them  a  duty;  just  in  what  form  to  discharge  it  is  not  clear  to 
my  mind.  Perhaps  they  might  be  helped  to  help  themselves. 
But  I  doubt  whether  it  would  be  wise  to  put  much  money  in 
them.  A  Protestant,  undenominational,  Polish  minister  ought 
not  be  employed  without  strong  testimonials. 


416  THE   LIFE   OF  BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

The  mission  among  the  Poles  was  undertaken  by  several  Read- 
ing churches  with  Dr.  Bausman's  approval,  but  the  outcome 
was  simply  a  vindication  of  his  judgment. 

July  9,  1908. 
I  feel  as  if  I  ought  to  say  something  to  the  dear  people  who 
will  assemble  in  our  church  this  evening.  I  have  written  the 
enclosed  lines  before  breakfast,  in  order  that  they  may  reach  you 
in  time.  I  am  not  sure  that  it  is  proper  to  do  this.  If  not, 
please  withhold  the  paper  and  let  me  keep  quiet.  I  leave  it  to 
your  judgment. 

The  occasion  was  the  Reformed  Rally  in  connection  with  the 
State  Christian  Endeavor  Convention,  then  in  session  in  Read- 
ing. The  communication  from  Dr.  Bausman  which  follows  was 
duly  read  and  enthusiastically  received. 

My  dear  Christian  Endeavorers: 

I  herewith  write  you  my  best  wishes  with  those  of  my  dear 
fellow-worker.  Rev.  C.  E.  Creitz,  for  the  Christian  Endeavorers 
of  the  Reformed  Church,  assembled  in  St.  Paul's  Church,  Read- 
ing, Pennsylvania,  this  evening.  My  heart  goes  out  to  you  in 
warmest  love.  Abraham  Lincoln  said  he  liked  Gen.  Grant 
because  he  did  things.  I  like  the  Christian  Endeavorers  be- 
cause they  do  things;  because  they  are  doers  of  the  word  and  not 
hearers  only.  Absent  in  body  I  will  be  present  with  you  in 
spirit  and  expect  to  pray  for  you  at  your  rally  this  evening.  It 
affords  me  joy  that  in  the  evening  of  my  life,  this  army  of  the 
Lord's  host  visit  our  city  and  bless  our  Church  with  the  touch 
of  their  inspiring  life.  May  the  blessing  of  our  Heavenly  Father 
attend  you  in  your  homeward  journey,  and  keep  us  all  in  the 
fellowship  of  our  common  faith  unto  everlasting  life. 

Your  fellow  Endeavorer  in  Christ, 
B.  Bausman. 
July  13,  1908. 

The  Christian  Endeavor  Convention  at  Reading  must  have 
been  quite  a  demonstration  of  torrid  enthusiasm.  Along  with 
a  harmless  blowing  of  trumpets,  I  trust  impressions  were  made 
upon  our  community  which  will  result  in  permanent  good.  I 
had  a  desire  to  come  into  closer  touch  with  it,  but  for  reasons 
deemed  it  wise  not  to  attend.  Our  home  is  so  badly  torn  up 
that  I  prefer  not  to  look  at  it  at  present. 

July  20,  1908. 

A  lot  of  you  young  sprigs  are  all  the  while  gathering  theologi- 
cal honey  from  flowers  pure  and  poisonous,  whilst  some  of  the 


THE   ASSOCIATE    PASTORATE  417 

rest  of  us  are  trying  to  gather  a  few  crumbs  from  such  tables  as 
we  can  crawl  under.  All  right,  go  it  while  you  are  young.  No 
doubt  you  will  return  from  your  western  trip,  furnished  with  a 
rich  supply  of  the  best  thought  in  the  literary  market. 

222  North  Sixth  Street  is  said  to  be  in  appalling  condition, 
and  the  end  is  not  yet.  I  infer  from  your  remark  about  your 
home  in  Walnut  Street  that  you  must  be  in  a  desperate  frame 
of  mind.  If  you  get  much  worse,  I  shall  have  to  write  to  Mrs. 
Creitz  to  return  home.  Please  convey  our  best  wishes  to  Mrs. 
Creitz  and  keep  a  few  chunks  of  them  for  yourself.  I  would 
gladly  write  more  but  to  tell  the  truth  I  am  really  run  out  of 
material. 

August  4,  1908. 

You  are  fortunate  in  spending  your  seaside  vacation  amid 
such  a  genial  company  of  clerical  brethren.  I  can  imagine  what 
a  wierd  set  of  woebegone  ducks  they  must  be  when  they  emerge 
from  a  plunge  in  the  briny  deep. 

Mrs.  Bausman  received  an  illustrated  postal  card  from  George, 
written  in  good,  terse  English,  which  even  his  illustrious  father 
could  scarcely  excel.  Please  present  my  loving  greetings  to  all 
the  brethren  with  you. 

August  18,  1908. 

Your  chatty  letter  smells  of  the  open  fields  and  of  a  world  of 
untainted  vegetation.  You  people  ought  to  be  thoroughly  rural- 
ized by  the  time  you  return. 

This  morning  Mr.  invited  us  to  take  a  ride  behind 

his  fine  span  of  bays.  For  an  hour  and  a  half,  we  careered  over 
the  picturesque  roads  with  a  kind,  garrulous  driver,  dressed  in 
livery  and  a  tall  hat,  who  gave  us  a  chapter  of  himself  and  some 
others.  Up  to  half  a  dozen  years  ago  a  drunkard.  Then  through 
prayer  and  sorrow,  under  the  pastoral  help  of  Dr.  Bromley,  he 
became  a  changed  man  and  now  attends  his  church  every  Sun- 
day, even  while  here.  Lesson:  ought  not  we  to  do  a  little  more 
for  such  poor  tempted  souls? 

September  1,  1908. 

I  enclose  a  few  clippings.  Possibly  they  may  contain  some 
helpful  hints.  Perhaps  it  would  be  well  to  make  use  of  special 
efforts  to  produce  an  effective  and  abiding  rally  in  our  Sunday- 
school  and  congregation. 

A.  By  appointing,  say  half  a  dozen  energetic,  but  prudent, 
committees  to  canvass  every  ward  of  the  city,  to  visit  every 
member  and  if  possible  to  get  their  consent  to  attend  church 
twice  a  Sunday,  and  also  our  mid-week  services.  Begin  the  work 
with  the  members  of  the  Consistory.  Get  the  promise  of  all 
the  teachers  of  our  Sunday-school  Bible  Classes  to  influence 
27 


418  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

their  scholars  by  persuasion  and  prayer  to  attend  all  our  serv- 
ices and  bring  others  with  them. 

B.  Have  a  committee  on  advertising,  whose  duty  it  shall  be 
to  announce  all  our  services  with  special  features,  subjects  of 
sermons,  etc.,  in  the  Saturday  papers.  Let  this  committee  also 
place  a  notice  on  a  neat,  large  card  in  the  Penn,  Mansion  House 
and  American  hotels  every  Saturday. 

C.  Let  us  try  to  make  our  mid-week  services  more  interesting, 
more  varied  and  hvely,  of  more  hymns  and  short  prayers,  more 
like  a  real  prayer-meeting.  We  have  perhaps  ten  or  twelve 
persons  who  can  lead  in  a  short  prayer.  Get  the  Christian 
Endeavor  people  to  labor  and  pray  to  revive  greater  spiritual 
interest  among  our  people.  Do  this  for  a  month  or  two  before 
we  start  a  class  of  catechumens.  Dear  brother,  I  am  not  dic- 
tating, simply  suggesting.  Our  people  are  in  danger  of  self-com- 
placent satisfaction  with  the  present  status  of  our  strong  con- 
gregation. We  must  try  to  make  our  dear  St.  Paul's  a  blessing 
for  the  whole  city. 

September  8,  1908. 

My  talks  in  the  parlor  have  given  me  much  comfort.  Re- 
peatedly, I  have  been  thanked  for  being  helpful  to  people. 
Many  of  the  guests  seem  to  be  hungry  for  the  truth.  Some- 
times I  can  hardly  refrain  from  weeping  when  I  am  thus  spoken 
to,  for  I  always  can  trace  the  hand  of  God  in  it. 

A  Philadelphia  lawyer  told  his  father,  that  if  they  had  such 
preaching  in  their  church,  he  too  would  attend  the  services,  and 

one  of  Dr.  's  members  made  a  similar  remark.     Gloria 

Dei.  I  tell  you  this  because  you  will  not  misunderstand  my 
motives.  An  occasional  "Well  done"  does  an  earnest  man  good. 
Not  because  one  seeks  for  praise,  but  to  learn  that  his  labor  is 
not  in  vain. 

Dr.  Bausman  maintained  his  personal  and  direct  interest  in 
people,  even  to  the  smallest  and  most  trifling  concerns  of  their 
lives.  The  same  was  true  of  affairs  of  state,  as  well  as  of  church. 
The  sinful,  Christless  world  outside  of  the  Church  weighed  patheti- 
cally on  his  mind  and  heart  these  last  years,  as  those  of  us  who 
were  near  to  him  were  reminded  again  and  again  by  his  frequent 
reference  to  it.  "What  can  we  do  to  reach  sinners  more  effec- 
tively and  bind  them  more  securely  to  Christ  and  the  Church?" 
he  would  often  say  as  we  discussed  our  problems  in  the  Reformed 
Ministerium.  He  was  alert  and  resourceful,  ready  with  wise  sug- 
gestions and  equally  ready  to  take  up  any  methods  that  promised 
to  produce  substantial  results. 


THE   ASSOCIATE    PASTORATE  419 

St.  Paul's  Church  all  the  while  kept  to  the  front  in  her  generos- 
ity toward  the  various  Boards  and  institutions  of  the  Church. 
A  typical  instance  was  the  assistance  given  Grace  Church, 
Washington,  D.  C,  during  the  early  part  of  the  associate 
pastorate.  Dr.  Schick,  the  pastor  at  Washington,  says  that 
Dr.  Bausman  "announced  the  offering,  led  it  and  gave  me  the 
largest  sum  I  received  from  a  single  church." 

In  a  letter  to  Elder  J.  B.  Fricker,  a  few  months  after  Dr.  Baus- 
man's  death.  Dr.  Schick  said: 

I  recall  your  generosity  when  we  were  struggling  to  get  our 
Memorial  Church  in  this  city.  There  is  no  one  thing  that  en- 
couraged the  work  so  much  as  the  invitation  of  dear  Dr.  Baus- 
man to  me  to  visit  St.  Paul's  and  bring  our  work  to  the  atten- 
tion of  the  people  that  loved  him.  I  shall  not  soon  forget  the 
hearty  welcome  you  all  accorded  me,  and  the  cheerful  spirit 
which  attended  your  contributing.  We  had  many  gifts  after- 
ward, but  yours  came  first  and  came  at  a  time  when  our  hearts 
were  in  doubt  and  heavy  with  anxiety. 

During  these  last  nine  years,  his  diary  is  full  of  meditations 
revealing  the  spiritual  richness  of  his  inner  life.  We  give  but  a 
few. 

January  1,  1904. 

Amelia  went  to  the  meeting  of  the  Sisterhood  and  to  cate- 
chetical services.  I  am  alone  at  home  with  God.  Have  just, 
on  my  knees  in  our  dark  bed-room,  poured  out  my  heart  to  God 
by  praying  from  memory.  Psalms  23,  51,  71,  90,  91,  92,  and  103, 
in  a  heartfelt  prayer  concerning  my  past  failings  and  God's 
mercies  on  the  past  and  His  guiding  care  the  balance  of  my  life; 
ended  with  the  Lord's  prayer.     Amen  and  amen. 

We  both  have  been  mercifully  preserved  during  the  year  in 
health,  peace  of  mind,  and  -^ith  much  comfort  and  blessing  from 
God  and  men. 

January  28,  1904. 

I  am  eighty  years  old!  Wonderful,  words  cannot  express  my 
gratitude.  God  understands  it  all.  Began  the  day  by  pouring 
out  my  heart  in  prayer  to  God.  Read  the  23,  39,  40,  and  103 
Psalms. 

I  am  constantly  reminded  of  God's  merciful  help.  For  some 
ten  or  fifteen  years  I  have  tried  to  cultivate  more  inwardly  the 
mind  and  spirit  of  Christ;  to  study  myself  in  my  vital  relation 
to  Christ;  to  bring  my  personality  in  more  perfect  accord  with 
Him.      I    have    committed    to    memory    the    bulk    of     thirty- 


420  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

six  Psalms,  some  of  which  I  devoutly  recite  to  myself  daily. 
Sometimes,  while  the  offerings  are  gathered,  I  return  to  the 
pulpit  room  and  kneel  down  in  prayer  for  greater  spiritual  endow- 
ment. Usually  God  helps  me  wonderfully.  In  this  way  He 
enables  my  old  body  and  brain  still  to  preach  to  the  edification 
of  the  people. 

He  also  committed  many  hymns.  He  said  one  day  to  a  sym- 
pathetic friend  with  whom  he  was  in  earnest  conversation  regard- 
ing personal  religion:  "Christ  is  becoming  more  and  more  pre- 
cious to  me,  so  that  I  am  beginning  to  know  what  Paul  meant 
when  he  said.  Tor  to  me  to  live  is  Christ.' " 

April  6,  1905. 

To-day  it  is  thirty  years  that  we  were  married.  Thought  and 
spoke  much  about  it.  Between  nine  and  ten  A.  M.,  I  knelt 
by  myself  at  the  altar  of  the  Church,  about  the  hour  when  the 
ceremony  was  performed,  and  poured  out  my  thankful  heart  to 
God  for  giving  my  dear  wife,  next  to  my  mother,  the  dearest 
and  most  helpful  being  the  Lord  ever  gave  me.  I  cannot  thank 
God  enough  for  all  she  has  been  to  me. 

The  reminiscent  mood  was  much  upon  him  these  last  years, 
especially  in  connection  with  his  own  family  and  relationship. 

September  30,  1901. 
Have  just  received  a  telegram  from  Tiffin,  Ohio,  that  Dr.  J. 
A.  Peters,  President  of  Heidelberg  University,  had  died.  Dear 
John,  my  first  cousin  and  loving  friend,  a  fine  scholar,  a  saintly 
man,  a  genuine  gentleman.  He  used  to  say  that  it  was  through 
my  influence  that  he  entered  the  ministry.  How  relatives  and 
friends  younger  than  I  pass  away  all  around  and  I  am  still  hap- 
pily at  work  in  old  age.     O  Lord,  thy  mercy  is  marvelous! 

January  16,  1905. 
To-day  we  were  informed  that  my  only  sister,  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Haverstick,  died  yesterday.  She  was  the  only  sister  among 
eight  brothers  and  reached  the  age  of  eighty-seven  years,  ten 
months  and  four  days.  A  gentle,  genial,  good  Christian  woman, 
the  mother  of  eight  children. 

In  June,  1907,  he  spent  two  days  near  Lancaster  visiting  his 
brother  and  family.  It  was  his  last  time  to  look  upon  the  haunts 
and  surroundings  of  his  boyhood. 

I  and  Hemy,  the  only  two  left  of  the  nine  children  of  our  fam- 
ily.    Bless  the  Lord,  0  my  soul!     Our  trolley  passed  in  sight  of 


THE   ASSOCIATE   PASTORATE  421 

the  burial  lot  of  our  parents  and  brother  Jacob  in  the  Lancaster 
Cemetery. 

His  brother  Henry  died  the  following  February,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-nine. 

He  continued  his  studies  up  to  the  last,  with  biography  as  his 
favorite  reading.     In  November,  1906,  we  find  this  comment: 

Finished  reading  Dr.  W.  A.  Helfrich's  autobiography. 
Sprightly,  graphic  style.  Full  of  interest.  A  strong,  positive 
personality.  An  active  colaborer  on  the  Reformirte  Hausfreund, 
which  helped  to  bring  me  into  warm  fellowship  with  him.  I 
helped  to  bury  some  of  his  family  and  preached  the  English  ser- 
mon at  his  funeral.  A  great  power  for  good  in  his  part  of  Lehigh 
County. 

His  diary  of  March,  1909,  records  the  following: 

I  am  reading  again  the  life  of  Dr.  Schaff,  by  his  son,  with  great 
pleasure.  Few  biographies  give  such  a  vivid  picture  of  their  sub- 
ject. It  is  largely  autobiographical.  Sprightly,  picturesque, 
photographing  the  great  personages  and  the  thinking  of  his  time 
in  a  remarkably  vivid  style.  I  admire  and  love  the  dear  man 
more  than  ever,  although  in  heaven. 

He  read  the  "Life  of  Henry  Drummond"  three  times.  It 
was  published  in  1898.  He  found  great  pleasure  during  his  last 
decade  in  looking  over  the  old  Guardians  and  rereading  his 
articles.  He  would  sometimes  say:  "I  couldn't  write  like  that 
now. "     Mrs.  Bausman  read  to  him  a  great  deal. 

Honors  and  tokens  of  appreciation  came  pouring  in  on  Dr. 
Bausman  the  last  few  years  of  his  life.  While  the  Reformed 
Church  Building  was  being  erected  in  Philadelphia  during  1907, 
he  was  urged  to  give  his  "consent  to  call  it  the  Bausman 
Building."  He  refused  to  do  this,  however,  though  he  gave 
generously  toward  it. 

At  the  commencement  of  Franklin  and  Marshall  College,  in 
1908,  Theta  Chapter,  of  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa  Society,  was  organ- 
ized, and  Dr.  Bausman  was  elected  a  member,  representing  his 
class  of  1851.  It  was  at  this  time,  too,  that  the  honorary  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Laws  was  conferred — "in  consideration  of  your 
personal  excellence,  and  your  eminence  as  a  scholar,"  as  Dr. 
Dubbs,  secretary  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  put  it  in  a  personal 


422  THE    LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

letter  to  him.  Dr.  Stahr  wrote  him  in  a  personal  note: 
"I  can  assure  you  that  so  far  as  my  personal  knowledge  ex- 
tends, no  degree  was  ever  conferred  with  greater  unanimity  and 
cordiality  than  this  one." 

The  last  three  birthdays  of  his  life,  following  as  they  did  his 
severe  illness,  were  specially  signalized  by  marks  of  high  regard 
from  his  many  friends.  The  Reformed  Ministerium  paid  its 
tribute  on  each  occasion.  On  his  birthday,  in  1907,  he  made 
this  record: 

At  10:30  A.  M.,  the  Reformed  Ministerium,  of  Reading,  called 
in  a  body,  about  fifteen.  Brother  Stoner,  the  spokesman,  de- 
livered a  beautiful  address  of  congratulation  for  the  body.  Dr. 
Blackburn,  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  spoke  for  the  Read- 
ing Ministerium,  both  in  warmest  terms  of  my  life  and  labors 
in  Reading. 

The  following  year  the  Rev.  C.  E.  Schaeffer,  in  behalf  of  the 
Ministerium,  brought  the  greeting  in  a  touching,  eloquent  letter, 
concluding  thus: 

Our  hope  and  prayer  is  that  you  may  abide  with  us  yet  for 
many  years,  and  when  finally  the  chariot  of  God  swings  low  to 
take  His  servant  home,  may  a  double  portion  of  your  spirit  fall 
upon  many  a  younger  Ehsha. 

On  Nov.  23,  1908,  there  was  a  gathering  at  his  home  which  he 
characterized  as  follows: 

Clerical  Dinner. 

At  noon,  Amelia  gave  a  turkey  dinner  to  the  pastors  of  Read- 
ing Classis.  Seventeen  of  the  brethren  and  Mrs.  Creitz  were 
present.  We  spent  about  two  hours  at  the  table  with  an  abun- 
dance of  harmless  hilarity  and  good  fellowship.  To  myself  it 
was  a  highly  enjoyable  occasion. 

On  his  last  birthday,  the  greeting  was  brought  by  Dr.  J.  P. 
Stein,  who  died  a  few  days  thereafter.  He  enumerated  at  length 
the  more  conspicuous  of  Dr.  Bausman's  labors  and  gave  the  fol- 
]  owing  facts : 

In  looking  over  the  record,  we  find  that  in  your  official  work, 
you  baptized  1,541  infants,  64  adults,  and  added  to  the  member- 
ship 1,887  by  confirmation.     During  the  years  of  your  active 


THE   ASSOCIATE   PASTORATE  423 

ministry,  the  aggregate  of  moneys  given  for  benevolence  amounts 
to  $167,136,  and  for  congregational  purposes  $216,202. 

On  this  last  birthday,  the  city  Ministerial  Association  sent 
their  tribute  of  love  and  veneration  neatly  engrossed  and  framed. 

Dr.  Bausman  kept  writing  occasional  letters  to  his  old  friends 
to  the  very  last.  Those  following  are  to  two  distinguished  leaders 
of  the  Church,  who  with  him  have  gone  to  their  great  reward. 

Reading,  December  11,  1906. 
My  DEAR  Dr.  Wagner: 

I  am  sorry  to  learn  that  you  are  not  very  well.  As  you  per- 
haps know,  I  passed  through  a  severe  spell  of  sickness  last  winter. 
I  am  very  thankful  that  I  am  comparatively  well  again.  We 
spent  three  summer  months  on  the  Wernersville  mountains,  and 
three  months  we  have  since  spent  in  our  quiet  home.  God  some- 
times teaches  His  children  the  art  of  feeling  young,  even  in  old 
age.  I  am  thankful  that  I  am  not  tired  of  life.  I  feel  an  in- 
terest in  things  natural  and  spiritual,  and  enjoy  friends,  food, 
sleep,  and  am  content  with  the  blessings  which  God  mercifully 
gives  me.  I  am  not  unmindful  of  my  years,  and  sometimes 
wonder  that  the  burden  is  no  heavier. 

"At  eventime  it  shall  be  light." 

We  belong  to  the  small  band  of  Mercersburg  boys  still  re- 
maining in  the  flesh.  It  would  be  interesting,  if  once  in  a  while, 
they  could  meet  again, 

"  Shoulder  their  crutch  and  show  how  fields  were  won." 

May  God  bless  you,  my  dear  brother,  may  ours  be  the  end  of 
the  faithful,  and  the  home  of  the  blessed.  I  do  not  ask  for  a 
reply  to  this  letter,  as  that  might  be  a  burden  to  you. 

Dear  Dr.  Wagner,  in  looking  over  the  other  sheet  of  my  letter, 
I  discover  that  unwittingly  I  have  fallen  into  a  selfish  vein  of 
writing,  speaking  about  myself,  whilst  I  ignore  yourself.  Why, 
my  dear  brother,  I  remember  well  what  an  abiding  success  you 
made  of  your  pastorate  near  Norristown,  and  your  long  service 
in  St.  John's,  Allentown,  resulted  in  the  estabhshing  of  one  of 
the  most  vigorous  and  active  churches  in  our  denomination. 
You  can  well  derive  comfort  in  what  you  have  accomplished  in 
your  pastoral  work,  and  as  a  member  of  various  Boards  of  the 
Church.  You  have  in  this  way  lived  your  life  into  the  life  of 
the  Church,  in  which  you  will  live  and  labor  on,  long  after  you 
shall  have  entered  upon  the  reward  of  the  faithful  in  the  Church 
triumphant. 


424  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  letter  to  Dr.  Eschbach  was  penned 
just  two  and  a  half  weeks  before  Dr.  Bausman's  death: 

Reading,  April  21,  1909. 
My  DEAR  Dr.  Eschbach: 

I  am  sorry  to  hear  that  j^ou  are  not  well.  I  hope  and  pray- 
that  our  dear  Lord  will,  ere  long,  restore  you  to  health  again 
and  that  you  may  be  spared  many  years  more  to  your  flock  and 
to  our  dear  Reformed  Church,  both  of  which  you  have  served 
with  marked  efficiency  and  success.  I  write  these  few  lines  to 
assure  you  of  my  cordial  sympathy  and  best  wishes.  I  am  en- 
joying the  serene  Indian  Summer  of  my  life  without  any  aches 
or  pains,  God  be  praised;  just  enough  to  do  to  keep  me  com- 
fortably employed.  As  a  rule,  I  preach  every  Sunday  morning 
if  I  feel  so  inclined.  All  the  other  work  Brother  Creitz  attends 
to  and  he  does  it  well.  God  bless  you  and  yours. 
Yours  fraternally, 

B.  Bausman. 

The  following,  his  last  parochial  report,  was  read  at  the 
annual  meeting  of  Reading  Classis  just  eleven  days  before  his 
death : 

Parochial  Report  of  St.  Paul's  Reformed  Church,  Read- 
ing, Pa. 
Dear  Brethren: 

With  devout  gratitude  to  God,  I  herewith  present  the  fifty- 
sixth  parochial  report  of  my  ministry.  The  past  classical  year 
has  been  to  me  a  period  rich  in  providential  mercies.  I  have 
enjoyed  uninterrupted  health.  With  the  exception  of  my  mid- 
summer vacation,  I  preached  every  Sunday  morning.  This 
gave  me  work  enough  to  keep  me  comfortably  employed,  with- 
out becoming  burdensome. 

It  may  seem  strange  to  the  brethren  that  I  should  not  stop 
work  altogether.     I  have  a  threefold  reason  for  not  doing  so. 

(a.)  My  irrepressible  notion,  whether  right  or  wrong,  that 
despite  his  years,  even  a  veteran  in  the  service  of  our  divine 
Master  might  still  occasionally  have  a  message  of  blessing  for 
His  people. 

(6.)  My  second  reason  is  the  comfort  which  I  derive  from  work 
suited  to  my  years.  My  work  is  a  means  of  grace  to  me.  The 
serene,  balmy  Indian  Summer  of  a  man's  life  ought  still  be  of 
some  good  to  others. 

(c.)  My  third  reason  is  that  the  good  people  of  St.  Paul's 
Church  seem  to  desire  the  continuance  of  such  ministrations  as 
may  be  agreeable  to  me. 


THE   ASSOCIATE   PASTORATE  425 

As  heretofore,  brother  Creitz  performed  all  the  work  outside 
of  the  Sunday  morning  sermon,  and  he  performed  it  well.  Our 
personal  relations  are  mutually  pleasant  and  cordial.  I  owe 
much  for  his  uniform  and  helpful  kindness  to  myself,  and  his 
untiring  fidelity  to  duty. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

B.  Bausman. 

In  the  early  days  of  his  editorship  of  The  Guardian  in  "An 
Autumn  Meditation, "  Dr.  Bausman  wrote  of  the  fitting  time  and 
place  for  a  minister  to  die,  and  said : 

To  die  in  the  act  of  preaching  our  risen  Saviour;  in  the  act  of 
devoutly  administering  the  Holy  Sacrament;  in  the  act  of  prayer 
— yes,  that  would  be  a  good  place  to  die  in.  Expected  or  unex- 
pected, to  be  found  at  one's  post  by  the  Master,  to  receive  His 
summons  to  depart  on  our  knees  in  the  closet,  in  the  pulpit, 
at  the  altar — that  is  a  most  fitting  place  to  die,  in  whatever  sea- 
son it  may  be. 

He  was  privileged  to  fulfil  the  spirit  of  that  meditation. 

On  Sunday  morning.  May  2,  1909,  he  preached  with  fine  vigor 
and  impressiveness  in  Calvary  Reformed  Church.  This  was  in 
response  to  the  persistent  urging  of  its  pastor,  the  Rev.  A.  V. 
Casselman,  who  in  the  prospect  of  enlarging  and  remodelling  his 
church,  was  eager  for  the  encouragement  of  its  venerable  founder. 
Dr.  Bausman  took  great  pleasure  in  rendering  the  service.  It  was 
his  last  sermon.  His  text  was  Mark  14:  8,  "She  hath  done 
what  she  could."  He  closed  the  sermon  with  the  last  stanza  of 
Faber's  beautiful  hymn: 

"  If  our  love  were  but  more  simple 
We  should  take  Him  at  His  word, 
And  our  lives  would  be  all  sunshine 
In  the  sweetness  of  our  Lord." 

The  first  two  lines  of  this  stanza  with  great  fitness  are  engraved 
on  the  pulpit,  which  Mrs.  Bausman  has  given  to  Calvary  Church 
in  her  husband's  memory. 

In  the  evening,  he  participated  in  the  services  at  St.  Paul's, 
offering  the  closing  prayer  and  pronouncing  the  benediction. 

Monday  was  a  busy  day.  He  attended  the  Reformed  Minis- 
terium  in  the  morning,  the  monthly  meeting  of  the  City  Minis- 
terial Association  in  the  afternoon  and  the  Consistory  meeting  of 


426  THE   LIFE   OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

St.  Paul's  Church  in  the  evening.     He  took  part  earnestly  in  the 
discussions  of  all  these  meetings  and  was  in  the  best  of  spirits. 

On  Tuesday,  he  rested,  gathered  sermonic  material  and  took 
a  walk.  As  he  returned,  when  near  home,  he  met  Dr.  Kuendig, 
who  was  probably  the  last  man  to  speak  to  him  on  the  street. 
These  ministerial  brethren  chatted  pleasantly,  among  other 
things  talked  of  heaven,  Dr.  Bausman  concluding  the  conversa- 
tion with  words  which  very  much  impressed  his  friend: 

There  will  be  three  surprises  in  heaven:  we  shall  see  people 
there  whom  we  did  not  expect  to  see,  some  we  expected  to  see 
will  not  be  there  and  the  greatest  surprise  of  all  will  be  that  we 
ourselves  are  there. 

On  Wednesday  morning,  he  carefully  wrote  his  sermon  for  the 
following  Lord's  day,  before  the  arrival  of  which  he  had  begun 
his  eternal  Sabbath.  The  sermon  was  completed  before  eleven 
o'clock.  He  and  Mrs.  Bausman  arranged  for  a  drive  in  the  after- 
noon. He  was  apparently  in  his  usual  good  health.  He  then  went 
on  to  prepare  his  address  for  the  funeral  of  the  Rev.  Thos.  C.  Lein- 
bach,  of  Womelsdorf,  which  was  to  be  held  on  the  following  day. 
He  was  writing  brief  notes  on  a  scrap  of  paper,  when  he  suffered 
an  alarming  chill.  He  went  down  stairs  to  the  parlor,  where  Mrs. 
Bausman  found  him  on  the  sofa  a  few  minutes  before  she  was  about 
to  call  him  to  dinner.  He  said  to  her  in  distress,  ''I'm  all  in  a 
tremor. "  She  urged  him  to  partake  of  the  dinner  which  she  had 
planned  to  be  specially  inviting  to  him;  but  he  could  not  eat 
and  went  to  his  study,  where  he  lay  on  his  couch.  Dr.  W.  S. 
Bertolet  was  called  and  came  in  a  few  minutes  and  at  once  directed 
that  he  be  put  to  bed.  The  physician  began  heroic  treatment  to 
break  up  a  threatened  attack  of  pneumonia.  It  speedily  de- 
veloped, however,  into  catarrhal  pneumonia,  and  he  breathed 
heavily.  When  asked  whether  he  was  in  great  discomfort,  he 
rephed  simply  that  "it  might  be  worse."  He  evidently  did  not 
realize  the  seriousness  of  his  condition,  for  he  persisted  until  late 
Wednesday  evening,  in  his  expectation  to  attend  and  participate 
in  the  funeral  on  the  morrow. 

He  bore  his  sufferings  and  discomforts  with  patience  and  cheer- 
fulness, having  even  a  pleasantry  for  one  who  visited  him.  No 
immediate  danger  was  anticipated.     On  Friday  morning,  he  said 


THE   ASSOCIATE   PASTORATE  427 

to  Mrs.  Bausman:  "Amelia,  how  about  our  devotions?"  In  the 
evening,  Mrs.  Bausman  repeated  famihar  passages  of  Scripture 
and  hymns,  which  he  followed  in  a  whisper. 

About  nine  o'clock  Friday  evening,  he  said:  "I  wish  I  could 
sleep."  His  physician  replied:  "You'll  have  a  good  night, 
Doctor,  I'm  sure."  He  was  resting  with  apparent  comfort  after 
midnight  when  suddenly  about  two  o'clock  Saturday  morning, 
the  eighth  of  May,  he  was  taken  with  a  sinking  spell  and  in  a  few 
minutes  fell  gently  asleep  in  Jesus. 

Out  of  respect  to  his  memory,  St.  Paul's  Church  was  closed  all 
day  Sunday.  On  Tuesday  evening,  between  the  hours  of  five 
and  nine  o'clock,  the  body  lay  in  state  in-  front  of  the  chancel 
of  the  church,  and  "several  thousand  people  of  all  classes  took 
a  last  look  at  the  familiar  features  of  a  beloved  pastor  and  friend. " 

Services  were  held  at  the  home  the  following  Wednesday 
morning  at  eleven  o'clock.  Dr.  John  C.  Bowman,  President  of 
the  Theological  Seminary,  at  Lancaster,  read  the  twenty-third 
Psalm  and  offered  prayer.  Dr.  John  S.  Stahr,  President  of 
Franklin  and  Marshall  College,  delivered  a  comforting  and  im- 
pressive address  on  Psalm  37:  37,  "Mark  the  perfect  man,  and 
behold  the  upright,  for  the  latter  end  of  that  man  is  peace." 

Thousands  thronged  the  streets  and  viewed  the  funeral  cortege 
as  it  passed  from  the  house  to  the  Church,  where  all  available 
space  was  occupied  long  before  the  hour  appointed  for  the  ser- 
vice. More  than  200  ministers  were  present  to  pay  their  silent 
tribute,  many  of  them  from  denominations  other  than  the  Re- 
formed. Children  and  officials  of  Bethany  Orphans'  Home 
occupied  the  gallery. 

The  Rev.  John  F.  Moyer,  pastor  of  the  First  Reformed  Church, 
led  in  the  opening  service  and  read  the  Scripture  lesson  from  1  Cor. 
15.  Dr.  S.  R.  Bridenbaugh  offered  prayer.  The  sermon  was 
preached  by  Dr.  George  W.  Richards,  of  the  Seminary  at  Lancaster, 
from  John  1:  4,  "In  Him  was  life  and  the  life  was  the  light  of 
men, "  a  chaste  and  beautiful  tribute  to  Dr.  Bausman  as  prophet, 
priest  and  king. 

Dr.  J.  Spangler  Kieffer,  President  of  the  General  Synod,  and 
the  Rev.  W.  F.  More,  Superintendent  of  Bethany  Orphans' 
Home,  spoke  addresses  of  eulogy  and  fine  appreciation.     Among 


428  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

the  hymns  sung  by  the  choir  was  "Lead,  Kindly  Light,"  a 
favorite  of  Dr.  Bausman's. 

The  interment  was  at  Charles  Evans  Cemetery,  where  the  burial 
service  was  read  by  Dr.  J.  Spangler  Kieffer,  and  the  benediction 
pronounced  by  Dr.  Henry  Mosser. 

Many  tributes  and  resolutions  v/ere  offered  in  Dr.  Bausman's 
honor  by  various  organizations  and  congregations  whose  life 
he   touched. 

Dr.  C.  J.  Musser  said  editorially  in  the  Messenger: 

On  last  Saturday,  Dr.  Bausman,  as  he  is  familiarly  known  all 
over  the  Church,  after  a  short  illness,  fell  asleep.  We  can  hardly 
realize  that  he  is  with  us  no  more.  At  Easter  he  was  so  bright, 
so  interested,  so  alive  to  every  bit  of  good  news,  so  ready  to  talk 
on  every  topic  of  the  hour;  so  eloquent  was  he  in  his  Sunday 
morning  sermons,  that  the  town  talked  of  it.  So  youthful  and 
vigorous  in  spirit  was  he,  that  we  forgot  that  he  was  eighty-five 
years  of  age,  and  did  not  associate  with  him  any  thought  of  the 
nearness  of  the  end.  He  was  an  unusual,  a  very  exceptional, 
man.  He  was,  first  of  all,  a  big-brained,  large-hearted,  finely- 
cultured.  Christian  gentleman.  There  was  something  large, 
generous,  liberal,  in  him.  There  was  a  fine,  stimulating  atmos- 
phere about  him.  It  was  healthy  to  associate  with  him.  And 
now  that  he  is  gone,  not  only  those  who  had  the  pleasure  of  per- 
sonal acquaintance  with  him,  but  the  whole  Church  seems 
poorer.     We  shall  not  soon  look  on  the  like  of  him  again. 

The  Reformed  Ministerial  Association  of  Reading  said : 

This  truly  great  man  of  God  occupied  a  unique  position  among 
the  Reformed  ministers  of  this  city.  As  our  senior  member,  he 
was  our  presiding  officer.  We  regarded  him  not  simply  as  a 
brother  beloved,  but  as  a  father  in  Israel.  As  a  leader  in  relig- 
ious affairs,  he  had  no  superior.  He  towered  above  all  others, 
like  some  tall  mountain  peak  towers  above  the  lesser  hills.  His 
long  and  useful  life  ran  coterminous  with  the  progress  and  de- 
velopment of  the  Reformed  Church  in  this  country.  To  a  re- 
markable degree,  he  was  the  embodiment  of  the  life  and  genius 
of  our  Church.  For  years,  he  was  the  living  link  between  the 
past  and  present,  the  old  and  new  in  our  Church's  life  and 
history.  There  is  no  man  who  had  the  welfare  of  the  whole 
Church  more  closely  at  heart  or  rendered  it  a  greater  service. 

The  Consistory  of  St.  Paul's  said  in  behalf  of  the  congregation: 

The  sense  of  our  loss  can  not  be  put  into  words.  Dr.  Bausman 
and  the  congregation  belonged  so  essentially  together,  that  his 


BUST  AND  TABLET    IN   ST.    PAUL'S   SANCTUARY 


THE   ASSOCIATE    PASTORATE  429 

departure  is  like  the  severing  of  a  limb  from  the  body.  He  lived 
the  best  that  was  in  him  into  this  church  and  that  was  much, 
and  now  that  he  is  gone,  there  is  the  feeling  of  impoverishment.  We 
thank  God  for  having  given  him  to  us.  Our  lives  are  better  for 
his  having  been  among  us,  and  we  now  pledge  anew  the  devo- 
tion of  our  lives  to  the  high  and  holy  cause  to  which  he  dedicated 
the  rare  talents  with  which  God  had  endowed  him. 

Since  Dr.  Bausman's  death,  a  new  church  has  been  built 
in  Wyomissing,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  suburbs  of  Reading,  and 
named  in  his  honor  The  Bausman  Memorial  Reformed  Church. 
Mrs.  Bausman  and  St.  Paul's  Church  have  given  liberally  toward 
it. 

A  bronze  bust  of  Dr.  Bausman  with  tablet  has  been  erected  in 
the  sanctuary  of  St.  Paul's  Church.  The  bust  is  set  in  a  recess  of 
imported  white  stone  with  onyx  columns,  and  was  executed  by 
R.  Geissler,  of  New  York.     On  the  tablet  beneath  is  the  following: 


REVEREND  BENJAMIN 

BAUSMAN, 

D. 

D., 

LL.D. 

FOUNDER  OF 

THIS   CHURCH 

AND   ITS 

PASTOR  FOR  36 

TEARS 

UNTIL 

HIS   DEATH                    1 

DIED   MAT  8, 

1909,   AGED   85   TEARS, 

3   MONTHS 

AND 

10   DATS 

"  WISE 

,   MEEK,    GENTLE, 

KIND, 

PURE, 

DEVOUT 

>> 

This  memorial  was  unveiled  with  impressive  services  in  the 
presence  of  an  immense  congregation,  on  Sunday  evening,  October 
2,  1910.  Dr.  Richards,  of  the  Lancaster  Seminary,  delivered  the 
address,  from  which  we  have  quoted  copiously  in  former  chapters. 
He  said:  "For  the  first  time  in  a  Reformed  Church  in  this 
country,  has  a  life-sized  bust  of  a  pastor  been  erected  and  un- 
veiled. The  fitness  of  the  act  commends  itself  to  all."  After 
presenting  "the  splendid  virtues,  which  adorned  the  life  of  Dr. 
Bausman,"  he  concluded: 

We  cannot  but  reflect  on  the  influence  of  such  a  life,  yet  who 
can  measure  the  work  of  a  devout  man  of  God?  A  pebble  cast 
into  the  air  will  start  a  train  of  causes  which  reverberate  to  the 
farthest  star.  The  life  of  a  Christian  man  and  a  minister  of  God 
reaches  far  beyond  the  bounds  of  time  and  finds  its  consumma- 


430  THE   LIFE    OF   BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

tion  in  eternity.  His  memorial  may  be  cast  in  bronze,  carved 
in  marble,  or  painted  on  canvas,  but  he  has  written  his  life  on 
the  hearts  of  his  people. 

Dr.  Bausman,  directly  and  indirectly,  touched  the  lives  of 
tens  of  thousands  and  lives  on  in  those  whom  he  influenced  for 
good.  "He  being  dead,  yet  speaketh,"  Heb.  11:  4,  was  the  text 
on  which  he  had  begun  to  prepare  the  funeral  address  when  the 
call  came  to  lay  down  his  pen  forever.  How  true  the  words  are 
of  him!  Witness-bearing  for  Jesus  Christ  was  the  supreme  busi- 
ness of  his  life.  It  was  the  subject  of  the  last  sermon  he  wrote, 
which  he  was  not  permitted  to  deliver.  Let,  therefore,  his  final 
message  for  his  Master  bring  to  a  close  this,  the  story  of  his  life. 

Luke  24:  48.  "And  ye  are  witnesses  of  these  things." 
Our  Lord's  great  mission  was  about  to  end.  On  the  eve  of 
His  ascension,  a  few  short  words  to  his  disciples  and  the  sub- 
limest  of  all  careers  in  time  will  close.  His  last  sayings  were  few 
and  brief.  Only  what  was  most  important  and  to  the  point. 
Seven  sayings  He  uttered  on  the  cross;  seven  words  He  uttered 
in  the  text. 

A  Witness-Bearing  Faith. 

1.  Thus  far  our  Lord's  atoning  life  and  death  were  known  to 
but  a  small  number  of  people.  And  a  still  smaller  number  be- 
lieved in  them.  How  should  the  great  world  for  whom  He  lived 
and  died  and  rose  again,  be  fully  informed  of  what  He  had  done 
for  its  redemption?  By  making  every  believer  a  witness,  a  pro- 
claimer  of  the  news.  First  the  eleven,  then  hundred  of  others 
through  word  and  deed  made  it  known.  And  the  number  of 
believers  increased,  the  number  of  witnesses  multiplied.  And 
this  witness-bearing  of  the  followers  of  Christ  has  been  going  on 
through  the  centuries. 

The  Bible,  the  printed  record  of  God's  revealed  will  and  word, 
has  been  a  powerful  agency  for  the  spread  of  the  Gospel.  But 
the  Book  alone  has  not  been  sufficient.  They  who  through  the 
Word  and  the  Spirit  have  become  partakers  of  the  spiritual 
anointing  of  Christ  are  the  most  powerful  agency  for  the  dis- 
semination of  the  good  news  of  salvation.  The  greatest  power 
the  Apostles  wielded  was  less  through  what  they  said,  than 
through  what  they  were  in  their  life.  Their  lives  bore  testi- 
mony for  Christ.  Thus  Stephen  and  James,  Peter  and  John, 
Paul  and  Barnabas  witnessed  for  Christ,  through  Christlike  lives. 

2.  How  can  we  be  witnesses  of  these  things? 


THE   ASSOCIATE   PASTORATE  431 

(a)  By  consistently  professing  our  faith.  "The  faith  once 
dehvered  to  the  saints"  which  the  saints  of  all  ages  have  con- 
tended for.  Not  new  systems  and  theories  of  religion,  invented 
by  the  wisdom  of  this  world.  The  greatest  witnesses  of  the 
truth  of  all  ages  were  the  people  of  unwavering  faith.  From  the 
Apostles  and  martyrs  of  the  first  century  to  the  thousands  of 
martyrs  that  were  butchered  in  Turkey  within  the  last  two  weeks, 
faith  in  Christ  was  the  constraining  motive  of  their  heroic  firm- 
ness. Doubtless  such  bravery  would  impress  the  minds  of 
thoughtful  Turks  who  killed  them.  All  professing  Christians 
with  a  corresponding  Christlike  life,  are  witnesses  of  Christ. 

(b)  By  our  Christlike  example  we  witness  for  Christ.  When 
the  early  disciples  spoke  boldly  of  the  death  and  resurrection  of 
Christ,  the  unbelieving  noticed  that  they  had  been  with  Christ. 
Precepts  of  the  Gospel  are  good,  but  living  examples  bodied  forth 
in  godly  lives  are  better.  Actions  speak  louder  than  words. 
*'Ye  are  my  friends  if  ye  keep  my  commandments." 

(c)  By  suffering  for  Him.  The  Christian  religion  is  especially 
a  religion  of  self-denial,  sacrifice  and  suffering.  "Except  a  man 
deny  himself,  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  me,  he  cannot  be  my 
disciple."  "For  the  Captain  of  our  salvation  was  made  perfect 
through  suffering."  There  is  no  merit  in  suffering;  but  if  we 
bravely  choose  to  accept  hardship,  suffering  and  even  death  for 
Christ  and  His  cause,  we  bear  incontestable  testimony  in  favor 
of  Christ.  The  Greek  word  for  martyr  is  the  same  as  that  for 
a  witness.  Whilst  the  life  of  the  early  Christians  was,  as  a  rule, 
one  of  inward  happiness  and  peace,  they  followed  Christ  at  the 
loss  of  home,  friends,  property  and  life.  As  in  the  case  of  Stephen 
the  first  martyr,  where  the  blood  of  one  saint  was  shed,  dozens 
and  often  scores  were  eager  to  take  his  place.  "The  blood  of 
the  martyrs  is  the  seed  of  the  Church,"  has  become  a  proverb. 
The  Boxer  massacres  in  China  were  providentially  overruled  for 
a  great  blessing.  The  lessons  taught  by  those  that  fell,  led 
multitudes  to  Christ.  So  that  thereafter  a  much  larger  number 
of  converts  crowded  the  various  mission  stations  than  had  fallen 
in  the  massacres. 

Our  times  are  full  of  ease  and  comfort  for  Christians.  We 
are  lovers  of  religious  luxury.  We  are  thereby  in  danger  of 
weakening  in  the  more  strenuous  and  heroic  qualities  of  the  more 
ideal  types  of  Christian  piety.  There  are  too  few  Christians 
who  practically  and  literally  carry  out  the  teachings  of  the  first 
lesson  in  our  Catechism,  that  we  are  "not  our  own,  but  belong 
to  our  faithful  Saviour  Jesus  Christ;"  or  that  portion  in  the 
prayer  before  the  communion,  in  which  we  pledge  to  "consecrate 
ourselves  on  the  altar  of  the  Gospel  in  soul  and  body,  property 


432  THE   LIFE   OF  BENJAMIN   BAUSMAN 

and  life,  to  Thy  most  blessed  service  and  praise."  I  trust  we 
are  all  prayerfully  striving  to  do  that;  but  who  among  us  can 
truthfully  say  that  we  have  fully  attained  this  degree  of  witness- 
bearing  for  Christ? 


INDEX 


Addison,   64,   351. 

Advisory  Council  of  the  Alumni  of 
F.  and  M.,  322. 

Albright,  Rev.  D.  B.,  294,  297,  300. 

Alexander,  Dr.,  167,  175. 

Alliance  of  Reformed  Churches  hold- 
ing the  Presbyterian  System, 
235. 

Angelo,  Michael,  344. 

Appel,  Dr.  Theodore,  67. 

Apple,  Dr.  T.  G.,  167,  228,  237. 

Arnold,  Dr.,  360,  365,  371,  385. 

Arthur,  Rev.  Wm.,  124. 

Astor,  J.  J.,  258. 

Aughinbaugh,  Dr.,  50. 

Ault,  Rev.  John,  167. 

"Autobiographical  Material, "  15  sq., 
84. 

Baer,  G.  F.,  197,  215. 
Baird,  Prof.  T.  D.,  67. 
BaUiet,  Dr.  T.  M.,  229. 
Balmes,  86. 

Bank,  Rev.  Charles,    130,  224. 
Bartholomew,  Dr.  A.  R.,  218,  391. 
Bausman,  Abram,  232. 
Bausman,  Andreas,  16  sq. 
Bausman,      Dr.      Benjamin:     (See 
Table  of  Contents.) 

his  father,  15  sq.,  60,  84,  110,  165, 
319; 

his  mother,  18  sq.,  56,  72  sq.,  356; 

his  birth,  18; 

his  schooUng,  33  sq.; 

confirmed,  37; 


"Choice  of  a  Profession,"  40  sq.; 

leaving  home,  48,  57,  231; 

visit  to  Washington,  D.  C,  64; 

trip  to  Indiana,  68  sq.; 

first  sermon,  74  sq.; 

begins  writing  for  Church  paper, 

97; 
as  "Spectator,"  97; 
as  "Nathan,"  98  sq.,  133; 
as  "Junius,"  149; 
and  Tercentenary    of    Heidelberg 

Catechism,  169  sq.,  196; 
as  hospital  superior,  183; 
drafted  for  army,  190; 
and    printing    establishment,    204 

sq.,  291; 
his  books,   128  sq.,   205  sq.,  226, 

261  sq.,  281; 
and  Law  and  Order  Society,  219 

sq.,  341; 
and  Hope  Rescue  Mission,  221; 
President  of  General  Synod,  222 

sq.; 
and  Peace  Movement,  223,  260; 
and  Church  Union,  224; 
as  catechist,  170,  194,  363; 
as  a  preacher,  194,  199,  259,  372; 
his  style,  75,  262,  351  sq.; 
his  humor,  59,  159,  166,  259,  347; 
his   benevolence,    166,    173,    195, 

212,    217,    219,    252,    272,   284, 

286,   288,   306,   318,    322,   330, 

332,  349,  403; 
statistics   of  his   work,    142,    199, 

209  sq.,  422; 


433 


434 


sketch  of  person,  110; 

vacations,  231,  394; 

degrees  conferred,  207,  421  sq. 

Bausman,  Mrs.  Benjamin,  8,  211, 
213,  228,  230  sq.,  236  sq.,  245, 
248  sq.,  308,  394,  396,  404  sq., 
410,   412  sq.,   420  sq.,   425   sq. 

Bausman,  Clarence  G.,  19. 

Bausman,  Henry,  232,  421  sq. 

Bausman,    Mrs.   Henry,   8. 

Bausman,  Jacob,  235,  319. 

Bausman,  J.  W.  B.,  311,  319. 

Bausman  Memorial  Reformed 
Church,  429. 

Bausman,  Philip,  37,  38,  66,  75,  166, 
181  sq.,  231. 

Bausman,  Samuel,  19. 

Bausman,  Wm.,  16. 

Beaver,  Dr.  D.  B.  D.,  410. 

Beecher,  H.  W.,  125,  155,  164. 

Belsnickel,  32. 

Benton,  Senator,  64. 

Berg,  Dr.  J.  F.,  86. 

Bertolet,  Dr.  W.  S.,  408,  410,  426. 

Bethany  Orphans'  Home,  263,  Chap- 
ter XV,  315,  358,  401,  427. 

"Bible  Characters,"  262. 

Bingen,    15,   242,   245. 

Bischweiler,  21,  244. 

Blackburn,  Dr.  R.  M.,  422. 

BUss,  Dr.,  93. 

Blumhart,  Pastor,  244. 

Boas,  Elder,  178. 

Boehringer,  Rev.  Emanuel,  286  sq., 
297,  300. 

Bomberger,  Dr.  J.  H.  A.,  37,  128, 
177,  283,  324  sq.,  389  sq. 

Bombshell  story,  184  sq. 

Borneman,  Monsignor,  333. 

Bowman,  Dr.  J.  C,  169,  404, 
427. 

Brainerd,  David,  46. 

Bridenbaugh,  Dr.  S.  R.,  427. 

Bromley,  Dr.  J.  H.,  307,  406,  417. 

Brooks,  Phillips,  334,  406. 

Brown,  Father,  141. 


Brown,  John,  180. 
Buchanan,  James,  156,  166. 
Bucher,  Dr.  J.  C,  133. 
BuckneU  University,  93,  133. 
Bunyan,  John,  258. 
Burns,  Robert,  71,  112. 
Bushnell,  Horace,   334,  338,  375. 

Cairns,  Dr.,  238  sq. 

Calvary  Reformed  Church,  Reading, 

214,  216  sq.,  353,  425. 
Candhsh,  Dr.,  111. 
Cass,  Senator,  64. 
Casselman,  Rev.  A.  V.,  425. 
"Catechumen's  Handbook,"  226. 
Cathohc  Church,  69,  79  sq.,  101  sq. 

116  sq.,  383. 
Cattell,  President,  391. 
Chimney  sweeps,  28. 
Chinese  immigrants,  250. 
Christian    Endeavor    Society,    214, 

416,  418. 

Church  Discipline,  362  sq. 
Church   Question,    79   sq.,    100   sq., 

116  sq.,  176,  379  sq. 
Church  Union,  117,  224. 
Civil   War,    146,    154   sq.,    Chapter 

IX,  316. 
Clay,  Henry,  64,  111. 
Clever,   Dr.   Conrad,   129,   399. 
Congregational   Church,   225. 
Creitz,  Dr.  C.  E.,  8,  234,  333,  338, 

342,  357  sq.,  373,  393  sq. 
Creitz,  Mrs.  C.  E.,  408,  412,  414, 

417,  422. 
Cmnming,  Dr.  J.,  113. 
Curtin,  Gov.  A.  G.,  93. 

Dawson,  Geo.,  112. 

Dayton   Reformed  Church,   171  sq. 

Dechant,  C.  M.,  217. 

Dechant,  W.  H.,  217. 

Derr,  Mrs.  L.  K.,  308. 

Diagnothian  Literary  Society,  SOsq., 

61. 
Diffenderffer,  F.  R.,  52. 


435 


"Directory  of  Worship,"   384,   386 

sq. 
Divorce,  362. 
Dix,  Dr.  Morgan,  237. 
Drummond,  Henry,  421. 
Dubbs,  Dr.  J.  H.,  8,  189,  206,  256 

sq.,    261,    268,    277,    319,    321, 

421. 
Dutch  Reformed  Church,  86,   225, 
331. 

Endhch,  Judge  G.  A.,  406. 
Ermentrout,  Rev.  John,  86. 
Eschbach,   Dr.   E.   R.,   8,   170,  248 

sq.,  367,  424. 
Euchen,  Dr.,  114. 
Evangelist,  The,  264,  266,  275. 
Evans,  Dr.  L.  K.,  229. 
Evans,  Wm.,  302. 

Faith   Reformed   Chiu-ch,    Reading, 

216. 
FaUing  Stars,  28. 
Filmore,    Vice-president,    64. 
First  Reformed  Church,  Lancaster, 

17,  37,  47,  400. 
First    Reformed    Church,    Reading, 

171,   176  sq.,   191,   Chapter  X, 

214,    216,    253,    291,    339,    360, 

367,  376,  401,  427. 
Fisher,  Rev.  P.  S.,  269. 
Fisher,  Rev.  R.  A.,  92. 
Fisher,  Dr.  S.  R.,  85,  135,  137  sq., 

143  sq.,  161  sq.,  182,  190,  317, 

349. 
Fleas,  Itahan,  243. 
Fogel,  Rev.,  272. 
Foltz,  M.  A.,  8,  161,  163,  167  sq., 

180  sq. 
Foote,  Senator,  64. 
Foreign  Missions,  152,  176,  330  sq. 
Franklin  College,  46,  47,  319. 
Frankhn  and  Marshall  College,  32, 

291,  319  sq.,  391,  397,  400,  421. 
Freilaubersheim,    15   sq.,    113,    245. 


Fricker,  J.  B.,  212,  216,    412,  419. 

Froebel,  371. 

Fry,  Dr.  Jacob,  398. 

Gans,  Dr  D.,  86. 

Gantenbein,  Dr.  J.,  297. 

Cast,  Dr.  F.  A.,  47,  319. 

"Gebete,"  226. 

Gerhard,  Dr.  C.  S.,  210,  374,  395, 

396. 
Gerhart,  Dr.  E.  V.,  79,  98,  106,  128, 

177,  394,  400. 
Gerhart,  Dr.  R.  L.,  400. 
German  Rehgious  Life,  114  sq.,  151, 

239  sq.,  359,  362. 
Gettysburg  College,  64. 
Glessner,  Rev.  Geo.  W.,  37,  47. 
Goethean  Literary  Society,  50  sq., 

57,  61. 
"Golden  Censer,"  130,  226. 
Goldsmith,  64,  112,  351. 
Good,  Dr.  J.  H.,  173,  222,  329. 
Good,  Dr.  James  L,  171,  217,  237, 

401. 
Goodrich,  Rev.  Wm.,  81,  160. 
Grant,  Gen.,  416. 
Green,  Prof.  Traill,  67. 
Gregory,  Canon,  241. 
Griffith,  G.  W.,  115. 
Gring,  Dr.  A.  D.,  331. 
Gring,  Rev.  David,  92. 
Gross,  Christian  G.,  356. 
Gross,  Wm.  D.,  288. 
Guardian,  The,   14,  21,  32,  40,  67, 

97  sq.,   110,   119,   127  sq.,   149, 

161,    180,    202,    226,    Chapter 

XIII,    264,    268,    280   sq.,   291, 

315,    324,    337,    344,    352,    360, 

377  sq.,  421,  425. 
Gustavus  Adolphus  Verein,  115. 
Guthrie,  Dr.,  111. 

Hale,  Senator,  64. 

Hale,  Dr.  Wm.  A.,  229,  370,  405. 

Hall,  Dr.  Newman,  241. 


436 


Harbaugh,  Dr.  Henry,  7,  13,  65,  74, 

76,   81,   92,    115,    126  sq.,    165, 

169,  189,  193,  205  sq.,  238,  253, 

258,    261,    265,    269,    325,    369, 

377  sq.,  389,  396,  400. 
"Harbaugh's  Harfe,"  205  sq.,  291, 

379. 
Hauser,  Rev.  Jacob,  331. 
Hausfreund,  The,  149,  202,  209,  226, 

242,   246,   248,  251,    253,    256, 

Chapter  XIV,  290  sq.,  315,  337, 

339,  349,  377  sq.,  383. 
Haverstick,  Mrs.  Elizabeth,    8,     18, 

232,  420. 
Heidelberg  University,  171  sq.,  420. 
Heiner,  Dr.,  85. 
Heisler,   Dr.   D.   Y.,   88,    141,   284, 

297. 
Helffenstein,  Dr.  J.,  86. 
Helfrich,   Dr.   W.   A.,  269  sq.,  281 

sq.,  421. 
Hensel,  George,  237. 
Hensel,  W.  U.,  398. 
Heyser,  Wm.,  167,  178. 
Higbee,  Dr.  E.   E.,    165,    191,    316 

sq.,  320,  335. 
Hilbish,  Rev.  Henry,  297 
Hoffeditz,  Dr.,  85. 
Hoffmeier,  Rev.  Henry,  37,  400. 
Hollweg,   Dr.   Von  Belhmann,   318. 
Home  Missions,  176,  194,   248   sq., 

265  sq.,  285,  325  sq.,  415. 
Hope  Rescue  Mission,  221. 
Horseback  Riding,  150,  161  sq.,  317, 

345. 
Housekeeper,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  M., 

296. 
Hoy,  Mrs.  Wm.  E.,  355. 
Hymnology,  33,  223  sq.,  383,  420, 

428. 

Jowett,  Dr.  J.  H.,  347. 

"Jubilee  Address,"    141,    147,    171, 

179,  401. 
"Junius:"     Rev.    Benjamin    Baus- 

man,  149. 


Kaiser  Wilhelm,  245. 

Katydids,  27. 

Kaufman,  Andreas,  38,  39. 

KeUer,  Dr.  EU,  264  sq.,  275,  sq.,  282, 

285. 
Kershner,  Dr.  J.  E.,  248. 
Keyes,  Rev.  N.  A.,  65,  81. 
Kieffer,  Rev.  Ephraim,  92,  160. 
Kieffer,  Dr.  H.  M.,  256. 
Kieffer,    Dr.    J.    Spangler,    257   sq., 

387,  404,  407,  427,  428. 
Kieffer,  Dr.  Moses,  104,  172  sq. 
KilUnger,  Hon.  J.  W.,  321. 
Kirchenzeitunfi,   The,    139,   264,   273 

sq.,  284  sq. 
Kostenbader,  G.  P.,  311. 
lO-ebs,  Dr.  S.  L.,  217,  218,  405. 
Kremer,  Dr.  E.  N.,  358,  405. 
Krummacher,   Dr.  F.  W.,  245. 
Kuendig,  Dr.  J.,  368,  426. 
Kiilling,  Dr.  J.,  297. 

Law  and  Order  Society,  219  sq.,  341. 

Lavrfer,  John  N.,  308. 

Laymen's     Missionary     Movement, 

159,  332,  358. 
Lee,  Gen.,  189. 
Leinbach,  Dr.  A.  S.,  219. 
Leinbach,   Dr.   Chas.   H.,    100,    131 

sq.,  144,  164,  167,  201,  224,  269. 
Leinbach,  Geo.  A.,  217. 
Leinbach,  Rev.  J.  H.,  219. 
Leinbach,  Jos.  A.,  217. 
Leinbach,  Rev.  T.  C.,  426. 
Leiss,  Adam,  288. 
Leonard,  Elder,  166. 
Levan,  Dr.  F.  K.,  328. 
Lewisburg  Chronicle,   110,    164. 
Lewisburg    Reformed    Church,    88, 

Chapters  IV  and  VI,  400. 
Lincoln,  156,  340,  364,  416. 
Liturgical    Question,    145,    152     sq. 

203,  260,  281  sq.,  316,  324  sq., 

339,  380. 
Lohr,  Rev.  Oscar,  331. 
Lutheran  Chui-ch,  70,  368,  374. 


437 


Malcomb,  Dr.  Howard,  93. 

Manning,  Cardinal,  86. 

Marshall  College,  47  sq.,  Chapter 
II,  281,  397  sq. 

Matthews,  Dr.,  239. 

Mausthurm,  15. 

Mayburry,  Dr.  Wm.,  170,  321. 

McCauley,  Dr.  C.  F.,  87,  178,  193, 
196,  211,  227,  236,  287,  377. 

McCausland,   John,   239. 

McClellan,  Gen.,  181. 

McGregor,  Dr.,  238. 

McHose,  Isaac,  8,  288. 

Mease,  Dr.  Samuel,  64,  68,  165. 

Mennonites,  40. 

Mercer shurg  Review,  79,  81,  96,  253, 
372. 

Mercersburg  Theology,  78  sq.,  107, 
171,  371  sq. 

Mesick,  Dr.  J.  F.,  85. 

Messenger,  The,  19,  45,  53,  97  sq., 
103,  110,  117,  120,  127,  130  sq., 
Chapter  VII,  161,  166,  170,  180, 
182,  196,  203  sq.,  222,  242,  249, 
251  sq.,  258,  267,  270,  280  sq., 
285,  293  sq.,  303,  315,  319,  337, 
339  349,  352,  358,  375,  383, 
390  sq.,  403,  407,  428. 

Messersmith,  G.  K.,  162. 

Mignonette,  334. 

MiUer,  Daniel,  8,  130,  200,  212,  226, 
227,  273  sq.,  283  sq.,  340,  342, 
363,  393. 

MiUer,  Rev.  H.  K.,  332. 

Miller,  Dr.  J.  O.,  52,  248. 

MiUer,  Dr.  S.,  224. 

MiUer,  Rev.  S.  S.,  323. 

MillersviUe  State  Normal  School,  21. 

Mission  House,  87. 

Mission  House  at  Basel,  133  sq., 
176,  244. 

Mohler,  86,  101,  117. 

MonteUo  Brick  Co.,  412. 

Moore,  Dr.  J.  P.,  405. 

Moravians,  120. 


More,  Rev.  W.  F.,  293,  294,   299, 

303  sq.,  410. 
More,  Mrs.  W.  F.,  310,  427. 
Mormons,  249. 
Mosser,  Dr.  Henry,  211,  230,  247, 

367,  428. 
Moyer,  Dr.  J.  F.,  427. 
Muhlmeier,  Dr.,  87. 
Miiller,  George,  359. 
MiiUer,  Max,  405. 
Musser,  Dr.  C.  J.,  391,  428. 
Myerstown  Convention,  203,  384. 

"Nathan:"     Rev.   Benjamin   Baus- 

man,  98  sq.,  133. 
Neff,  D.  J.,  50,  66,  398. 
Nevin,  Dr.  J.  W.,  60  sq.,  67,  72  sq., 

103,    128,    131,    152,    175,    201, 

207  sq.   224,  288,  291,  369,  372, 

376,  390. 
Nevin,  Dr.  Wm.  M.,  66,  67,  255. 
Newman,  Cardinal,  86,  112. 
Noel,  Baptist,  125. 

"Order  of  Worship,"  384,  387. 
OUvet  Reformed  Church,   Reading, 
216. 

Parker,  Dr.  Joseph,  241. 
Parker,  Dr.  Theodore,  112. 
Passavant,    Dr.   W.   A.    205. 
Peace  Movement,  223,  260,  282  sq., 

384  sq. 
Pennsylvania     Germans,     263     sq., 

290. 
Peters,  Abram,  21,  319. 
Peters,  Jacob,  33. 
Peters,  Dr.  J.  A.,  420. 
Peters,  J.  G.,  52. 
Phi  Beta  Kappa  Society,  421. 
PhilUps,  Rev.  Samuel,  166. 
"Pilgrim's  Pouch,"  110  sq. 
Porter,  Dr.  T.  C,  61,  128. 
"Precept  and  Practice,"  262. 
Presbyterian  Church,  137,  225. 


438 


Preston's  Sunnyside,  231,  394,  410, 

412  sq. 
Protestantism,  83,  85  sq.,   101   sq., 

116. 
"Provisional  Liturgy,"   128,  384. 
Prugh,  Dr.  P.  C,  50,  64,  68,  165. 
Public  Opinion,  180. 
Puns,  160. 
Pusey,  Dr.,  113. 
Pyramid  Climbing,  122. 

Ranck,  Rev.  C.  H.,  8. 

Rauch,  Dr.  F.  A.,  369. 

Rauch  Literary  Society,   51. 

Reading  Adler,  268,  277. 

Reading  Eagle,  412. 

Reading  Herald,  246,  407,  410. 

Rebaugh,  Rev.  J.,  87. 

Reber,  Rev.  J.  L.,  81. 

Reformed  Church  Record,  296. 

Reily,  Mrs.  Lizzie  A.,  97. 

Reily,  Dr.  Wm.  M.,  92,  318. 

Richards,    Dr.    Geo.    W.,    262,    344, 

347,   352,   357,   369,   372,   400, 

427,  429. 
Rick,  James,  217. 
Robertson,  Rev.  F.  W.,  59,  371. 
Rupp,  I.  D.,  16. 
Russell,  Dr.  Geo.  B.,  52,  287. 
Rust,  Dr.  Herman,  7,  52,  59,  63,  64, 

68,  115  sq.,  73  sq.,  127  sq.,  144 

sq.,  165,  172  sq.,  202,  229,  328, 

379,  396. 
Rust,  Dr.  J.  B.,  7,  176,  202,  396. 
Rustling,  Gen.,  413. 

Santee,  Charles,  292,  295. 

Schaeffer,  Dr.  C.  E.,  330,  422. 

Schaeffer,  Dr.  N.  C.  404. 

Schaeffer,  Dr.  Wm.  C,  399. 

Schaff,  Dr.  PhiUp,  47,  60,  61,  67,  72 
sq.,  103,  109  sq.,  115  sq.,  128, 
138  sq.,  152,  167,  175,  205,  238, 
279,  316,  318,  369,  377,  421. 

Schick,    Dr.  J.  M.,  300,  419. 


Schiedt,  Dr.  R.  C,  404. 

Schiller  Society,  51. 

Schmaltz,  Rev.,  38. 

Schneck,  Dr.  B.  F.,  110,  115,  139, 
149,  162  sq.,  183,  224,  281,  352. 
367  sq. 

Schneck,  Mrs.  B.  F.,  162,  367  sq. 

Schneder,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  D.  B.,  332, 
414. 

Schneider,  Dr.  Benj.,  152,  330. 

Schoenberger,  Miss  Clara,  410. 

Schrack,  Daniel,  92. 

Scotch,  The,  111  sq. 

Scott,  Sir  Walter,  111. 

Second  Reformed  Church,  Read- 
ing, 104,  216. 

Sectarianism,  100  sq. 

Seward,  Senator,  64. 

Shuey,  Rev.  D.  B.,  252. 

"Sinai  and  Zion,"  110,  123,  128  sq., 
161,  280. 

"Sketches"  by  Rev.  Benjamin 
Bausman,  97  sq. 

Slifer,  Col.  Eh,  93. 

Smoking,  159,  343. 

Society  for  the  ReUef  of  Ministers 
and  their  Widows,  322  sq. 

"Spectator:"  Rev.  Benjamin  Baus- 
man, 97. 

Spinner,  Gen.,  205. 

Spurgeon,  113,  241. 

Stahr,  Dr.  J.  S.,  208  sq.,  335,  398, 
401,  422,  427. 

St.  Andrew's  Reformed  Church, 
Reading,  214,  216  sq.,  284,  353. 

St.  James'  Reformed  Church,  Read- 
ing, 216. 

St.  John's  Reformed  Church,  Al- 
lentown,  423. 

St.  John's  Reformed  Church,  Read- 
ing,  195,  216,  283  sq. 

St.  Mark's  Reformed  Church,  Read- 
ing, 216. 

St.  Paul's  Reformed  Church,  Lan- 
caster, 65. 


439 


St.  Paul's  Reformed  Church,  Read- 
ing, 92,  192,  197,  201,  208  sq.. 
Chapter  XI,  263,  272,  286, 
306,  323,  332,  355,  357  sq.,  366 
sq.,  381  sq.,  392  sq. 

St.  Stephen's  Reformed  Church, 
Reading,  195,  216. 

St.  Thomas'  Reformed  Church, 
Reading,  218  sq. 

Stein,  Dr.  J.  P.,  422. 

Steiner,  Dr.  L.  H.,  146,  157,  170, 
204,  223,  255. 

Steinmetz,  Dr.  J.  H.,  160,  283. 

Stern,  Dr.  Max,  328. 

Stewart,  Rev.  Wm.  I.,  169. 

Stoner,  Rev.  H.  Y.,  367,  422. 

Stuart,  Gen.,  187. 

Stuart,  Rev.  Moses,  86. 

Studien  und  Kritiken,  171,  273. 

Sunday-school,  19,  54,  57,  195  sq., 
210,  215  sq.,  254  sq.,  323  sq., 
383,  414  sq. 

Super,  Dr.  W.  H.,  52. 

Sweigert,  Rev.  Peter,  46. 


Tractarianism, 


113,  379. 


Universahsts,  125,  373. 
Ursinus  College,  384,  389  sq. 

Wagner,  Geo.  W.,  302. 
Wagner,  Dr.  S.  G.,  423. 
Wanamaker,  John,  169. 
Ward,  Dr.  Wm.  H.,  225. 
"Wayside  Gleanings,"  110,  114,  161, 

381. 
Webster,  Daniel,  64. 
Weiser,  Dr.  C.  Z.,  87,  196,  273,  281, 

331,  367,  386,  391. 
Western  Missionary,  103,  110. 
Whitmer,  Rev.  A.  C,  256,  258,  403. 
Whyte,  Dr.  Alex.,  238. 
Wichita  College,  251  sq. 
WilUard,  Dr.  Geo.  W.,  81,  104. 
Wiseman,  Cardinal,  125. 
Wolff,  Elder,  13,  178. 
Wolff,  Dr.  B.  C,  98,  318. 
Wolff,  Dr.  G.  D.,  86. 
Woodward,  Judge,  205. 


Taylor,  Gen.,  56. 

Telepathy,  377. 

Temperance,  339,  346. 

Tennyson,  402. 

Tercentenary  of  Heidelberg  Cate- 
chism, 169  sq.,  196,  372,  375  sq. 

Theological  Seminary  at  Mercers- 
burg  and  Lancaster,  Chapter 
III,  32,  139,  316  sq.,  390  sq.;  at 
Tiffin,  175. 

Third  Reformed  Church,  Baltimore, 
399. 

Tiffin   Reformed    Church,    171. 


Yosemite  Valley,  249. 

Young,  Joseph,  294. 

Yundt,   Rev.  T.   M.,  293,  298  sq., 

373,  401. 
Yundt,   Mrs.  T.   M.,  299,  302  sq., 

334,  373. 

Zacharias,  Dr.  D.,  87. 

Zion's  Reformed  Church,  Chambers- 
burg,  166  sq.,  399. 

Zion's  Reformed  Church,  Reading, 
216. 

Zwingli,  378. 


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